As it is with Ridley Scott nowadays, the spectacle was good but he also made some choices that were odd.
The battles and gladiator fights felt bigger and I enjoyed those scenes. Similar story as before, but had some twists and turns that worked for me. 
Paul Mescal was fine as the lead and brought the physicality, but he just didn’t have that something Russell Crowe had. He was also overshadowed by Denzel Washington. The twin emperors came off pretty cartoony and were not as interesting as Commodus. 
I never expected this to live up to the first movie, but was I entertained? Yes, I was.