Hercules (2014)
2/4
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, John Hurt, Rebecca Ferguson, Ian McShane, Ingrid Bolso Berdal, Rufus Sewell, Aksel Hennie, Reece Ritchie, Joseph Fiennes
Rated PG-13 for Epic Battle Sequences, Violence, Suggestive Comments, Brief Strong Language and Partial Nudity
Hollywood is trying to bring back the "sword and sandal" genre back again, with "300," "Immortals," and "300: Rise of the Empire" and this year's earlier film starring Hercules, "The Legend of Hercules." Audiences want them because the good ones tend to be filled with copious amounts of violence, blood & gore, and some gratuitous sex and nudity. But Hollywood isn't giving it to them. They're still chasing the billion dollar mark for every movie, even if they're guaranteed a sizable profit for a smaller audience. "The Legend of Hercules," a PG-13 movie, bombed (although that may have had to do with the low quality of the film...it's only worth seeing for those who love high camp) and this new "Hercules" with Dwayne Johnson (also PG-13) is DOA at the box office.
Aside from the PG-13-ing of the film (which couldn't be more obvious), the film just isn't very good. The story is thin and clunky, and frankly not all that interesting. It's an origin story, but unfortunately, the most interesting material (Hercules' tasks) is glossed over for a "Last Samurai" wannabe of a plot.
Hercules (Johnson) is a badass in the ancient world. Everyone knows him, although even he admits that his reputation is (slightly) overblown. While he's a talented and tenacious fighter, he wouldn't last long without his companions. While toasting a victory, a woman named Ergenia (Ferguson), recruits them to defend the city of Thrace from Rhesus (Tobias Santelmann). After promising their weight in gold, they agree.
The more I think about it, the more similarities I see with "The Last Samurai." While director Brett Ratner (a loooooong way from the "Rush Hour" movies) gives it its own identity, the result is just the same. The training, the violence, the betrayal, etc. It's not a note by note ripoff, but it's very similar. And the comparison only makes this new "Hercules" seem weaker by comparison: spending most of the movie watching a bunch of soldiers train for battle is not nearly as interesting as seeing them fight for real.
This new "Hercules" is only slightly more faithful than the 1997 Disney movie, but that doesn't mean its more successful. Flawed as it was, it was pretty entertaining. The only thing this one has going for it is some nicely choreographed fight scenes and a surprisingly effective performance from Dwayne Johnson.
Johnson has long since left his wrestling days behind him, and he continues to mature as a performer with each new film. I don't see him on the Oscar stage very soon, but he is more than capable of handling an action film. His Heracles is a little softer and heroic than a Schwarzenegger clone might be, although the murders of his wife and child are glossed over so quickly that they're almost not worth leaving in.
He is surrounded by a solid supporting cast. No one really sticks out from his crew except for Rufus Sewell, who is wonderful as always. Sewell doesn't upstage Johnson, but it wouldn't be right not to mention him. This is a change of pace for John Hurt, although more than that I will not say. And Joseph Fiennes is actually halfway decent. I'm dead serious. In previous films, such as "Elizabeth," "Shakespeare in Love" and "Enemy at the Gates," Fiennes has been an awful performer. But as he proved with "The Red Baron," he is capable of giving a halfway decent performance when he's not forced to go over the top.
This is a change of pace for Brett Ratner, but frankly, this could be a director-for-hire. There's no style (not that Ratner ever possessed any) or much humor. It's an adequate directorial job, although he must receive credit for creating fight scenes that are capable of producing adrenaline.
This is not a terrible movie by any means. Some parts are pretty good. But the thin script, lame story and obvious neutering hold it back. I should also mention the end credits, which are violent and bloody drawings of cast members. They are a taste of what the movie should have been.
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, John Hurt, Rebecca Ferguson, Ian McShane, Ingrid Bolso Berdal, Rufus Sewell, Aksel Hennie, Reece Ritchie, Joseph Fiennes
Rated PG-13 for Epic Battle Sequences, Violence, Suggestive Comments, Brief Strong Language and Partial Nudity
Hollywood is trying to bring back the "sword and sandal" genre back again, with "300," "Immortals," and "300: Rise of the Empire" and this year's earlier film starring Hercules, "The Legend of Hercules." Audiences want them because the good ones tend to be filled with copious amounts of violence, blood & gore, and some gratuitous sex and nudity. But Hollywood isn't giving it to them. They're still chasing the billion dollar mark for every movie, even if they're guaranteed a sizable profit for a smaller audience. "The Legend of Hercules," a PG-13 movie, bombed (although that may have had to do with the low quality of the film...it's only worth seeing for those who love high camp) and this new "Hercules" with Dwayne Johnson (also PG-13) is DOA at the box office.
Aside from the PG-13-ing of the film (which couldn't be more obvious), the film just isn't very good. The story is thin and clunky, and frankly not all that interesting. It's an origin story, but unfortunately, the most interesting material (Hercules' tasks) is glossed over for a "Last Samurai" wannabe of a plot.
Hercules (Johnson) is a badass in the ancient world. Everyone knows him, although even he admits that his reputation is (slightly) overblown. While he's a talented and tenacious fighter, he wouldn't last long without his companions. While toasting a victory, a woman named Ergenia (Ferguson), recruits them to defend the city of Thrace from Rhesus (Tobias Santelmann). After promising their weight in gold, they agree.
The more I think about it, the more similarities I see with "The Last Samurai." While director Brett Ratner (a loooooong way from the "Rush Hour" movies) gives it its own identity, the result is just the same. The training, the violence, the betrayal, etc. It's not a note by note ripoff, but it's very similar. And the comparison only makes this new "Hercules" seem weaker by comparison: spending most of the movie watching a bunch of soldiers train for battle is not nearly as interesting as seeing them fight for real.
This new "Hercules" is only slightly more faithful than the 1997 Disney movie, but that doesn't mean its more successful. Flawed as it was, it was pretty entertaining. The only thing this one has going for it is some nicely choreographed fight scenes and a surprisingly effective performance from Dwayne Johnson.
Johnson has long since left his wrestling days behind him, and he continues to mature as a performer with each new film. I don't see him on the Oscar stage very soon, but he is more than capable of handling an action film. His Heracles is a little softer and heroic than a Schwarzenegger clone might be, although the murders of his wife and child are glossed over so quickly that they're almost not worth leaving in.
He is surrounded by a solid supporting cast. No one really sticks out from his crew except for Rufus Sewell, who is wonderful as always. Sewell doesn't upstage Johnson, but it wouldn't be right not to mention him. This is a change of pace for John Hurt, although more than that I will not say. And Joseph Fiennes is actually halfway decent. I'm dead serious. In previous films, such as "Elizabeth," "Shakespeare in Love" and "Enemy at the Gates," Fiennes has been an awful performer. But as he proved with "The Red Baron," he is capable of giving a halfway decent performance when he's not forced to go over the top.
This is a change of pace for Brett Ratner, but frankly, this could be a director-for-hire. There's no style (not that Ratner ever possessed any) or much humor. It's an adequate directorial job, although he must receive credit for creating fight scenes that are capable of producing adrenaline.
This is not a terrible movie by any means. Some parts are pretty good. But the thin script, lame story and obvious neutering hold it back. I should also mention the end credits, which are violent and bloody drawings of cast members. They are a taste of what the movie should have been.
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