Tuesday, February 4, 2014

The legend of Hercules


Running Time: 99 minutes  ; Cast: Kellan Lutz, Liam McIntyre, Scott Adkins, Roxanne McKee; Direction: Renny Harlin; Story/ Screenplay: Sean Hood, Daniel Giat; Producer Boaz Davidson, Renny Harlin et al; Cinematogrpahy:  Sam McCurdy; Music: Tuomas Kantelinen;  Editing:  Vincent Tabaillon; Genre: Action-Adventure Distributor: Summit Entertainment;  Location: Greece

Technical Assessment:  2
Moral Assessment: 3
CINEMA Rating:  V 14

The Legend of Hercules begins with King Amphitryon (Adkins) challenging the King of Athens to a winner take a battle.  Easily defeating his opponent, Amphitryon takes over the army and kingdom to the disgust of his wife Queen Alcmene (McKee). Realizing her husband’s growing insatiable desire for power and aggression, she prays to the gods for guidance. Her answers her call and promises her the son of Zeus whom she will bear and eventually will defeat the king. Years past, Alcmene’s son with Zeus takes on the name Alcides (Lutz) and grows into a burly yet gentle prince in love with Hebe (Weiss), the princess of Crete. He willingly stays in the shadows as his half-brother Iphicles takes credit for Alcides’ success. However, when the king announces the betrothal of Iphicles to Hebe and betrays Alcides to the Egyptians, Alcides must accept and embrace his fate as Hercules – the half-mortal, half-god son of Zeus – who will deliver Greece from the tyrant king and bring peace and harmony back to the nation.

The movie may have the viewer scouring through the original storyline of the half-mortal Hercules as it introduced characters and sub plots so different from the more popular animated versions. While it did retain more of the original flavour of the classical myth plot, the treatment was so terrible complicated yet diluted that one would definitely prefer the adolescent versions. If we get pass the thinly conceived storyline and character development and just take the computer-generated effects that uselessly peppered the scenes, then we would be even more confused as it merely demonstrated the technical ability of the post production team and senselessness of their efforts. Lutz who should have retained his non-speaking character in the previous vampire film series made matters worse with his non-existent acting prowess that gave neither life nor depth to what could have been a dramatic character. In fact, none of the actors could act and evoke sympathy or support from the audience. The Legend of Hercules was too dull as an action film, too lifeless as a romantic drama and too uninspired as an epic film.

The movie tried hard to compare Hercules to Jesus Christ. In so many instances, the parallelism were obvious – a prophesy of the promised savior, the divine conception – it could have worked and delivered a powerful message if there was more effort and intelligence placed in the direction. Instead, what was left were the indiscriminate fighting and killings, betrayals and the desire for revenge. While Hercules did embrace his destiny and fulfill his mission, we doubt if it was a result of a realization that peace, justice and brotherhood were far more important than his self-serving desire to take back his lover and kill his step father. Neither was he a hero whom people can rally behind as he had no redeeming nor outstanding human or divine qualities viewers can relate to.