You must pull from the first film in a momentous way. Russel Crowe made us love, identify and root for him. He was strong and likable he even showed a sense of humor…the actor playing his son seemed brooding and angry with no hint that of the wit and style that made us love Maximus! Where is that wit? That charm? Everything was angry and brooding and for the last 20 minutes of the movie he decides to love his mother…no, no, no, no. His character should have shown and developed that love for his mother throughout the movie, the same way we clearly understood Maximus loved his family. There was nothing to love about this character…an angry indifferent young man that’s what you gave us.