Denzel Washington absolutely runs off with “Gladiator II” as scheming Roman power broker Macrinus, a former slave whose end game is to become the new emperor.
It’s one of the two-time Oscar winner’s best performances in his nearly 40-year career and one where he gets a chance to go as big as he did in “Training Day.” The way he puts a spin on the words “politicssss” and “too much!” is the actor having possibly the best time of his life with a role.
As “Gladiator II” producer Douglas Wick told TheWrap at the film’s Los Angeles premiere, the actor’s riffs and unexpected line deliveries are like jazz.