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Thursday, March 28, 2024
The Eagle

Movie Review: “Hercules”

Grade: B-

Hercules, son of Zeus and hero to those in need, is a character that comes with a lot of history. From legendary monsters to grand quests, you’d think director Brett Ratner would want to use some of the mythology at his disposal for his latest addition to the franchise. The appeal of Hercules has always been that he can do extraordinary things, so making a movie where Hercules can only do extraordinary things with the help of his friends is disappointing.

Ratner’s “Hercules” follows a charismatic Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and his team of mercenaries as they find their next bounty. His team consists of old friends and people he has helped in past missions, everyone with their own special skill. Although Hercules is their leader, everyone is equally good at fighting. Their real talent lies in their marketing abilities; spreading stories of Hercules to everyone they meet and leaving out that most of his victories included their help.

God or man, truth or myth, the movie doesn’t care to expand on Hercules’ heritage but rather follows him on an assignment that would pay him enough to retire to a quiet life. Like the winding stories that Hercules’ nephew tells throughout, the movie never really figures out where it’s going. The gist of the movie involves King Cotys of Thrace requesting Hercules to train his amateur army in order to defeat his enemy. The reward: his weight in gold. Fate turns against Hercules when he realizes that his mission isn’t as righteous as the king says it is.

Other than the first few minutes of the movie and a bit of the final fight scene, there really aren’t any monsters in “Hercules.” Getting past that disappointment, the 3D effects are still great and the few fight scenes that are in the movie are big, loud and over the top. The movie is visually wonderful, making up a bit for the lackluster script. Hercules spouts tons of cheesy one-liners throughout the film, making what are supposed to be heroic speeches seem silly, but that may just be because the Rock is a better wrestler than actor.

If you can embrace the campiness, “Hercules” can be an enjoyable experience, or you can just go watch the 1997 animated Disney version of Hercules if you want the real deal.

thescene@theeagleonline.com


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