If your thirst for non-stop action isn’t sated by the bloodletting in “Gladiator II,” take a gander at previous epics like “Spartacus” and “Ben-Hur,” which both heavily influenced the original “Gladiator.”
We’ve also thrown in some cinematic suggestions that go beyond Ancient Rome, with sprawling battles in West Africa, Persia, Spain, Japan and Norway, and confrontations that don’t necessarily involve a sword and shield.
Behold some great, epic action movies like “Gladiator II” to watch next.
The Oscar-winning Ridley Scott epic is obviously the template for the new sequel, but if for some reason you haven’t seen Russell Crowe’s Maximus (almost) single-handedly upending the Roman Empire, you should remedy that with due speed. The film, which won five Oscars, including one for Crowe as Best Actor, is always worth revisiting, especially in light of the many callbacks in the new film. Strength and honor!
“Gladiator” is now streaming on Paramount+.
“Gladiator” owes a deep debt to “Spartacus,” which starred Kirk Douglas (who also executive produced) as a Roman slave who becomes a gladiator who leads a rebellion of his fellow enslaved fighters against their cruel owners. Unlike Maximus, he was never a general and never a close friend of the emperor, but the determination to be free — or die trying — burns just as hot. The hand-to-hand combat is superb, but so are the large-scale battles. Forget flaming arrows and trebuchets: It’s a lot harder to dodge enormous logs engulfed in fire as they rolls towards you.
“Spartacus” is streaming on Prime Video.
“Gladiator” owes as much, if not more, to this Biblical saga as it does to “Spartacus.” Charlton Heston stars as Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish prince whose childhood friendship with Roman officer Messala (Stephen Boyd) turns into a bitter rivalry that sees Ben-Hur in chains and consigned to life as a galley slave. His heroism, however, earns Ben-Hur a more privileged status and one that puts him at the center of the famed chariot race in Rome Colosseum. With its stunning pre-computer-age stunt work and the sprawl of the wide-screen, this tense scene remains one of the most famous of classic Hollywood.
“Ben-Hur” is streaming on MGM+ and Tubi.
Three hundred incredibly buff (and scantily clad) Spartans, led by Gerard Butler’s Kin Leonidas, face off against the much-larger Persian army in Zack Snyder’s bombastic retelling of of the Battle of Thermopylae in the Greco-Persian Wars. From the much-memed “This is Sparta!” scene to the final moments of battle, Snyder, with a heavy assist from CGI, delivers a visually impressive palette of war.
“300” is streaming on Netflix.
Gen. Nanisca (Viola Davis), her big-ass machete and her army of all-female warriors protect the African kingdom of Dahomey in Gina Prince-Bythewood’s crowd-pleasing action film, which is loosely based on real events. The Dahomey Amazons also inspired the fierce Dora Milaje in Marvel’s “Black Panther.”
“The Woman King” is streaming on Hulu.
In Ed Zwick’s historical saga, which is loosely based on the Satsuma Revolution in 19th Century Japan, Tom Cruise’s Civil War veteran Nathan Algren is sent to train a newly created Imperial Japanese Army to fight against a samurai rebellion. When the samurai prevail in a bloody skirmish and Algren is the last man standing, Lord Moritsugu Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe) spares his life and, instead, teaches him the way of the samurai.
Charlton Heston (again!) leads this epic as famed Spanish knight Don Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar (also known as El Cid) in this underrated historic drama from celebrated western and noir director Anthony Mann (who was the initial director on “Spartacus” until he clashed with star/producer Kirk Douglas).
Alexander Skarsgård’s vengeance-seeking Viking berserker slices and dices his way through ancient Norway in Robert Eggers’ extra-bloody spin on “Hamlet.”
“The Northman” is now streaming on Starz.
What’s better than having your hero fight a tiger, baboon or rhino? Skeletons! This iconic moment from stop-motion master Ray Harryhausen — in which Jason (Todd Armstrong) and the crew of the Argo face off with sword-wielding skeletons — has delighted generations for more than 60 years. In this classic adventure matinee, the Argonauts must also contend with Harpies, a giant Hydra-creature and a 100-foot bronze giant.
“Jason and the Argonauts” is streaming on Tubi.
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