Hércules

This film was a real surprise to me. I was expecting something that was a cross between Kevin Sorbo's TV show and Wrath of the Titans. But the producers chose a completely different direction for this re-telling. Aside from the shorts at the beginning we see no monsters. Nor do we see beautiful gods and goddesses. Hercules' greatest enemy in this story is the very real (and human) threat of betrayal and treachery. And rather than a one man- show, we see Hercules aided by a band of loyal friends who are every bit as skilled as the demigod. The film raises the question what is more important: what others believe of you or what you believe about yourself? The film has a bevy of great actors including John Hurt, Ian McShane and Rufus Sewell and I think Dwayne Johnson is perfect for the main role.

"I thought heroes fight for glory. But mercenaries fight for gold."

Remember my review of "The Legend of Hercules" ? Probably you noticed that I wasn't really impressed by it. First, there was no sign of the "Twelve labors" in this film. And it was a hodgepodge of topics from various films. It looked a bit like "Gladiator" mixed with "Pompeii" and "300". And also, Kellan Lutz didn't have enough charisma to become a mythical figure like Hercules. That's why I was so curious about this version with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. And although it's not exactly a masterpiece, it still could captivate me. First of all there was a small part dedicated to the labors and also because of some memorable moments.

What intrigued me the most was the fact that one questioned Hercules's status as a god in a subtle way. I doubted at some point whether he really was a descendant of Zeus or simply a mortal provided with the necessary muscles and fighting skills. It seemed as if he wasn't immortal : "Cover up, before your loyal army sees you bleed like a mortal". It was as if he used that unique status to scare off opponents ("The more they believe Hercules is truly the son of Zeus, the less likely they are to fight") or to use this infamous reputation as a lure for new clients. The opening scene with Hercules being assisted by his companions to hunt down a band of pirates, gave the impression as if he couldn't single-handedly get the job done.

Okay, maybe it was the intention to make "the mystery Hercules", invincible son of Zeus, more mysterious. Johnson plays a heck of a Hercules. That's an indisputable certainty. His impressive torso and superhuman biceps filled with swollen veins make him a fearsome and imposing demigod. "Conan" will always be associated with Schwarzenegger. Believe me, "Hercules" will be the same for Johnson. An ideal role written especially for him. It's just pure joy to see this semi-barbarian screaming out loud while rushing towards his opponents, frantically waving with a huge mace. With crushed and split skulls as a result. The level of adrenaline is skyrocketing during the great battles.

Of course you could say that they've borrowed from other classics. It's just like "The magnificent seven". A group of professional mercenaries taking upon themselves the arduous task of training a group of non-military citizens in martial art. Obviously, this army of simpletons grows out to be the most ruthless killing machine ever. In recent years we've been spoiled with epic battles as seen in "300" and "The Lord of the Rings". Unfortunately, the battles here aren't as overwhelming as the latter. And you can also feel a bit of the atmosphere from the movie "Gladiator" in this mythical spectacle.

But unlike "The legend of Hercules" you can see some old timers at work here. Like John Hurt who plays the part of Lord Cotys, king of Thrace. He wants Hercules and his henchmen to defeat a violent warlord. And Ian McShane and Rufus Sewell play respectively Amphiaraus and Autolycus, two companions of Hercules. Each of them are veterans who bring some drama into the story. And there's also some humor to enjoy. The funny dialogs between the group members you definitely can call successful. Fortunately they didn't end up with a type of Bud Spencer parody full of silly jokes. The final result is a perfect balance between light-hearted humor and spectacular action. So if you're a fan of straightforward action with a humorous wink, you'll like this Hercules !

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Firstly, the film has a slow start. We see almost motion comic footage of Hercules doing his 12 labours in slideshow form, with Hercules face hidden in silhouette. So I felt a little cheated. Then we have a scene which tries to set up what makes this version of the main character different than any other version we have seen before. I wont give it away, as its basically what the film is about. But it tries to play with our knowledge of him.

It doesn't ignore the back story of his wife and kids, but glosses over those parts until it becomes necessary to divulge that information. Again, i think it would have been better to see it, rather than be told what happened. I knew his history and so was wondering if they would portray this properly. Instead they do something to set-up a villain for the end which I wont give away. Just know that they do tie up all lose ends as needed, but a prior knowledge of who this character is and what he has done does help the viewer understand his motivations and his life up to this point.

Its when the big war starts that you really sit up and start paying attention. Somehow watching the Rock talk doesn't interest you, but when the fighting starts with the epic 200 people battle sequences, you suddenly see where the budget went, the fights are fantastic!

What is really great is how Hercules and his band of merry men (and woman) use smarts to outwit the enemy rather than simply use strength each time. That was clever. From the moment of that first fight the film moves up a notch and becomes excellent entertainment.

Its a historical film and tries to be serious about its overall message. Dwayne does a good job but he's not going to win any awards for this. The other cast members actions are predictable and sufficient. But don't really add much to the plot. They could have been written out and it would have changed nothing.

The running length is long enough to feel satisfied and not so long that it overstays its welcome. The plot twists you see coming a mile away but at least it tries to do them. Other than one characters actions near the end which was so obvious it was stupid to include.

In conclusion, its worth watching. It takes it times to grab you, but once it does it doesn't let go. There are a few stretches of how strong Hercules is, but not enough for you to hate it. The 3D has its moments, but like most films I would rather have watched it in 2D as I don't think it made a major difference and its more comfortable not having to wear those glasses with my head upright the entire time.

Someone had the incredibly stupid idea of showing Hercules' infamous tasks within the first five minutes and then tell a somewhat conventional story of antique battles and rebellion. The Rock is a charismatic hero and his team works, too. Without this cast this movie would have fallen to pieces. As it is, the action is decent, the result entertaining enough and thankfully it doesn't take itself too seriously. But still, whoever came up with this simplistic plot should be smacked over the head.

A lot of people went into this movie with expectations that this would follow the mythology, and I think that's what let them down. However, as an artistic representation of not only the myths, but a possible truth behind the myths, this was an entertaining watch.

I'm only vaguely familiarly with the mythology, but I know enough to know the way it was represented. This film represents that mythology in a different way - more genuinely believable, and less fantastic - but blends the original mythos in in a way I found very interesting. A lot can be forgiven for an intelligent, new look at an old story, and I don't think this film needs to be forgiven very much at all.

The story was fairly well rounded with a some light/moderate complexity to it which was nice, and it was much less far-fetched than I thought it would be. The acting was - in general - excellent, with only one or two instances where I thought it was a bit too cheesy or overdone.

Dwayne Johnson was fantastic; having seen him in several films I was expecting a less solemn, more caricatured, performance. But he was excellent, and I have gained a little more respect for him as a serious actor (though I wouldn't cast him outside head-bashing quite yet).

Overall an underrated movie in my opinion, and definitely worth a watch if you like a good story.