Netflix has just added one of the biggest movies of recent years

The movie has a strong Irish connection.

The movie stars Paul Mescal as Hanno - a man living in the North African kingdom of Numidia whose wife is killed by the invading Roman army, led by General Acacius (Pedro Pascal).

Enslaved and taken to Rome, Hanno is spotted by the scheming Macrinus (Denzel Washington), who believes he would make for a formidable gladiator.

Hanno and Macrinus make a deal: Hanno will fight for Macrinus while Macrinus will help Hanno get revenge against Acacius.

It soon becomes clear, however, that Hanno may also have an ancestral connection to Rome that could threaten the reign of the empire's corrupt leaders, the young Emperor brothers Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) and Geta (Joseph Quinn).

Gladiator II was directed by Ridley Scott, who made the original Oscar Best Picture winning Gladiator 24 years previously.

The sequel was a box-office hit and seemed, for the most part, to earn mixed-to-positive reviews from audiences and critics alike.

Some took issue with the film's CGI and historical inaccuracy.

However, we'd argue that Scott's trademark hard-hitting gladiatorial and war battles, Mescal and Washington's commanding performances and the screenplay's more complex vengeance narrative make it worth seeking out, despite its flaws.

So, if you missed Gladiator II in cinemas or you want to revisit it, head to Netflix.