On the one hand, “Gladiator II” feels unnecessary.

Of course, pricey sequels — and big-budget films in general — rarely feel necessary.

Even keeping that in mind, if there’s a movie that has not cried out for a follow-up, it is 2000’s “Gladiator,” filmmaker Ridley Scott’s Academy Award-winning historical epic that solidified actor Russell Crowe as a major star. That Maximus, Crowe’s Roman general-turned-slave gladiator — um, spoiler alert — dies at the film’s end brings an air of finality to the story.

On the other hand, nobody does cinematic spectacle like the endlessly prolific Scott, seemingly still at the height of his conducting powers in his mid-80s. And “Gladiator II” is chock full of spectacle. Yes, it is the story of the grown Lucius (Paul Mescal), a child in “Gladiator,” but this film’s grandeur is its real star.

If you plan to see “Gladiator II” — and it’s ultimately worth seeing, despite a third act that runs almost completely off the tracks — see it on the biggest screen possible.

Set about a decade and a half after the events of “Gladiator,” “II” begins by paying homage to its predecessor via nicely done animated illustrations of unmistakable moments from the first film. Stirring exactly the emotions they are intended to, these visuals are set to thrilling music that, during a recent advanced screening, absolutely jumped out of a state-of-the-art Dolby Atmos-equipped sound system.

When the sequence ends, you certainly are ready for more “Gladiator.”

Scott and screenwriter David Scarpa (Scott’s “All the Money in the World”) then re-introduce us to Lucius, with Oscar nominee Mescal (“Aftersun,” “All of Us Strangers”) taking over for Spencer Treat Clark.

Using a different name, Lucius lives far from Rome, in the African kingdom of Numidia, with his lovely wife, Arishat (Yuval Gonen). Their seemingly idyllic existence is interrupted by the arrival of Roman ships, the pair gearing up for war and arriving at a fortress to fight alongside others in the hope of staving off this fleet of invaders.

The greatest of the film’s spectacular sequences is its first, the battle that sees Numidia fall to the forces of Acacius (Pedro Pascal, “The Last of Us”), a decorated general whom Lucius now holds responsible for the death of Arishat.

Brought back to Rome as a slave, Lucius is purchased by wealthy, ambitious and ostentatious businessman Macrinus (Denzel Washington), who works to gain the favor of Rome’s twin emperors, mentally unbalanced brothers Caracalla (Fred Hechinger, “The White Lotus”) and Geta (Joseph Quinn, “Stranger Things”)

Denzel Washington portrays the wealthy and ambitious Macrinus in “Gladiator II.” (Courtesy of Paramount Pictures)

We soon see that Acacius is not the man Lucius believes him to be but instead someone who, like Lucius’ late grandfather, Emperor Marcus Aurelius, dreams of a better Rome and is planning an insurrection against the insatiable brothers. Also unknown to Lucius is that Acacius is wed to Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), the former’s estranged mother. (Nielsen and Derek Jacobi, who reprises the role of Lucilla’s ally Gracchus, are the only two returning players from “Gladiator.”)

Connie Nielsen reprises the role of Lucilla in “Gladiator II.” (Courtesy of Paramount Pictures)

One of several ways “II” echoes “Gladiator” is that Lucius’ skills in combat impress the emperors, who soon learn he has no interest in winning their favor.

Along the way to the film’s story threads converging, we get a handful of sequences involving Lucius fighting for the public’s amusement, each scene possibly wilder than the one before it. We’re talking everything from ferocious monkeys to sharks, the Colosseum having been flooded for the latter affair.

Do you think you’ll not be entertained?

While he isn’t prime Russell Crowe, Mescal possesses the gravity and charisma necessary for this role.

Paul Mescal stars as Lucius in “Gladiator II.” (Courtesy of Paramount Pictures)

Lucius isn’t the most interesting character in “II,” however. That distinction goes to the increasingly over-the-top Macrinus, who schemes his way up the political ladder with all the subtlety of a machine gun.

Based loosely on real figures — like the first film, “II” is a blend of fact and fiction that seems pretty darned heavy on the fiction — Geta and Caracalla are a watered-down if two-headed version of Joaquin Phoenix’s Commodus from the first film. Caracalla’s eventual bestowing of significant power on his pet monkey, Dundas, is an example of how silly this film can be.

Joseph Quinn portrays Emperor Geta in “Gladiator II.” (Courtesy of Paramount Pictures)

The aforementioned final act — whiplash-worthy given all that transpires in it — is another.

(“Gladiator II” contains strong bloody violence)

‘GLADIATOR II’

Rated R. At the Landmark Kendall Square Cinema, AMC Boston Common, South Bay Center, Causeway, Alamo Drafthouse Seaport and suburban theaters

Grade: B+