The reviews are in for Gladiator II ahead of its nationwide release next week, and the critics are, for the most part, not giving it the thumbs down, writing resoundingly solid reviews for the action epic that comes to theaters decades after the 2000 Ridley Scott-directed best picture Oscar winner.

The epic film "Gladiator" was one of the biggest box office hits of 2000 and is considered a classic in the filmography of British directing legend Ridley Scott alongside "Alien", "Blade Runner" and "Thelma & Louise".

Ridley Scott's sequel to the 2000 film puts the spectacular into spectacle and needs to be seen on the biggest screen possible, writes our reviewer.