NEW YORK (OSV News) -- The following are capsule reviews from OSV News of new and recent video releases available on DVD and/or Blu-ray -- as well as for online viewing. Theatrical movies have an OSV News classification and Motion Picture Association rating. These classifications refer only to the theatrical version of the films below, and do not take into account any extra content.

"Arabesque" (Blu-ray Edition; 1966)

Muddled thriller in which an American exchange professor at Oxford (Gregory Peck) gets involved with several sets of Arab spies, one of whom (Sophia Loren) keeps shifting sides. Directed by Stanley Donen, villains and villainy abound, there's eye-catching violence and sexy romance, but it's all surface and no substance. The OSV News classification is A-III -- adults. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association. (KL Studio Classics)

"Gladiator II" (2024)

Spectacular but sterile historical epic intertwines the fates of a Numidian prisoner of war-turned-gladiator (Paul Mescal), the Roman mover and shaker (Denzel Washington) to whose stable of fighters he belongs, the celebrated general (Pedro Pascal) who conquered his city and the politically dispossessed daughter (Connie Nielson) of a former emperor. Amid much scheming to seize power from the two decadent brothers (Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger) who currently rule the empire, questions emerge about the protagonist's true identity. In following up on his Academy Award-winning 2000 hit, returning director Ridley Scott delivers some eye-popping visuals. But the human dimension is lacking since, despite an all-in performance from Washington, the characters seem more like chess pieces being moved on a board than fully developed individuals. David Scarpa's script is also riddled with historical improbabilities and anachronistic rhetoric. But the principal problem is the excessive bloodletting with which viewers are confronted at intervals. Much graphic gory violence, mature references, including to incest, venereal disease and homosexuality, a couple of crass terms. The OSV News classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. (Paramount Home Entertainment; also available on 4K)

"Red One" (2024)

The attempt to put Santa Claus (J.K. Simmons) at the center of a frenetic action flick leads to a hopelessly unbalanced tone in this ill-conceived holiday offering. After St. Nick is kidnapped, his chief of security (Dwayne Johnson) reluctantly teams with the gifted but mercenary internet hacker (Chris Evans) who inadvertently helped one of Kris Kringle's longstanding adversaries (Kiernan Shipka) breach North Pole security so together they can thwart the abductor before she ruins Christmas. The mayhem the nefarious plot unleashes remains thoroughly stylized and the values put forward in an almost preachy way by Chris Morgan's script are respectable from a Judeo-Christian perspective. But director Jake Kasdan never finds his footing while vulgar vocabulary puts this off-limits for kids. Considerable bloodless violence, fleeting partial nudity, references to a character's out-of-wedlock birth, about a dozen instances each of mild swearing and crude language, at least one rough term, a couple of crass expressions. Spanish language option. The OSV News classification is A-III – adults. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. (Warner Home Video; also available on Blu-ray)- - -John Mulderig is media reviewer for OSV News. Follow him on X @JohnMulderig1.