So I watched Hercules…
I didn’t expect much from the movie, the trailer wasn’t exciting but I’m a huge Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson fan so I’ll always give his movies a watch AND I was pleasantly surprised.
Okay, basic plot: The Rock is a super jacked up version of Hercules. After his family is killed by Hagrid’s dog from Harry Potter, Hercules is forced into the life of a mercenary. He has a crew of merry men who assist in his adventures and add to the legend that is Hercules. Hercules goes about punching things, killing things and being shirtless. That’s basically all this movie is about.
If you’re looking for a movie that perfectly describes ancient history the way Troy or Gladiator did, you’re gonna be disappointed. If you’re looking for a movie with the same historical inaccuracies, wit and charm that made Prince of Persia such an enjoyable movie…, you’re in luck. It’s a different take from the traditional Hercules story and I liked that. It’s hard to describe what makes this movie different without spoiling the plot but let’s just say it’s different.
This movie’s best feature is the cast and their chemistry. Hercules and his band of warriors really have great comradery and you get the whole family through battle feel throughout the movie. The highlight of the movie is Ian McShane’s Amphiaraus the seer – an apparent psychic who has predicted his own death. A running gag throughout the movie is when exactly he’ll die and the journey to that moment is quite comical and fun – if waiting for someone to die can be fun. He really has some great scenes and McShane does well as the older, wiser mentor to Hercules. The other actors do well, nothing spectacular but they do enough to make the movie enjoyable. I love The Rock and when he’s in battle or punching a guy he’s 100% believable but everytime he speaks you’re left wondering why Hercules has an American accent. Physically, he’s perfect for this character and he is a badass but the scenes that required him to speak or show some deep introspection where my least favourite.
The story is quite cliché and predictable but you don’t go to a movie with The Rock for story. The action is immense. I loved the fight scenes and the action is really entertaining. Brett Rattner does a really good job infusing some modern day thinking into the ancient fighting techniques. I also really liked how this movie always feels like it’s on the move. It isn’t sluggish and doesn’t draw out scenes for longer than it has. It’s also really funny and filled with a lot of one-liners, my favourite been the one The Rock says after throwing a guy and his horse across a field.
Overall, an alright movie. It isn’t groundbreaking but you definitely get your money’s worth. It’s worth a watch but see it with friends so you can laugh and make fun of some parts of the movie. 6/10
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