As in days of old when Hollywood would churn out two films of a similar conceit in the same year – think Deep Impact and Armageddon, Dante’s Peak and Volcano – 2014 sees two versions of Greek demi-God, Hercules and they couldn’t be more different. Where The Legend of Hercules turned out to be an insipid, uninspired dud, director Brett Ratner’s incarnation of the hero is a far fancier affair. Big budget, big action and big biceps, this Hercules is gloriously daft and he knows it.
We begin with Reece Ritchie as Iolaus, Hercules’ nephew, as he recounts the history of his famous warrior uncle. Held captive by nasty pirates he tells tales of Hercules’ birth as the son of Zeus and a mortal woman through to his fabled 12 labours as he attempts to instill fear into the hearts of his captors, just long enough for the man himself and his band of merry men and one woman to swoop in and rescue him. After an enjoyably slapstick rescue, we ascertain that Hercules (Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson) and chums; Amphiaraus (Ian McShane), Autolycus (Rufus Sewell), Tydeus (Aksel Hennie), Atalanta (Ingrid Bolsø Berdal) and Iolaus are mercenaries for hire, slowly fighting their way through Greece until they’ve made enough gold for their retirement fund. Amphiaraus is the stoner psychic, who believes he can see when his death is coming (this becomes a running joke throughout the film which McShane milks as expertly as Heidi let loose on a herd of her Grandfathers goats in the Swiss Alps), Autolycus is the witty best mate who just wants to get the deed done and count his pile of cash, Atalanta is the arse-kicking Amazonian archer, Tydeaus is the fiercely loyal mute warrior, mentally and physically damaged by his ordeals as a child and Iolaus is the PR exec, re-telling the myth of Hercules to both inspire and spread fear wherever they journey. When they accept the job of helping Lord Cotys (John Hurt) of Thrace defeat the invading horde of Rhesus (Tobias Santelmann) they find themselves up against a fierce and malevolent enemy and Hercules must overcome his past to fulfil his destiny.
Ratner has crafted a very silly piece, whereby little is taken seriously and it’s precisely this that makes Hercules such an enjoyable romp. Johnson makes a decent hero, handling the action set-pieces with aplomb and has the right mix of stoicism and roguish charm to earn the audiences affection. His mercenaries are great company with McShane and Sewell clearly having a blast, firing off a steady stream of zingers. Hennie doesn’t get to speak but conveys so much in his expressive face and badassery that his silence is barely noticed. Berdal’s Atalanta isn’t afforded much to do other than match the boys in the action stakes which she does extremely well and Ritchie rounds off the gang as the chatty Iolaus, constantly inspiring folk with his tall tales even in the heat of battle. They’re a fun bunch to hang out with McShane in particular having a right old laugh. Repeatedly. And it’s ace.
The 3D harks back to its B-movie origins and is used to fire spears, swords and arrows at the screen, splinters of wood hurtle towards the audience and chariots clatter dangerously close. Sure it’s gimmicky but it serves the action well and puts a smile on the face. Similarly the action set-pieces themselves, choreographed in that way that you know no human being could really achieve these daring feats, are fist-pumpingly fun and frankly who cares how unbelievable they are when Ratner gives us pimped out chariots and flips a horse. It’s breathtakingly bonkers like a BC Fast and Furious film.
Is Hercules the best blockbuster of the summer? Not by a long shot but it does what it says on the tin and the tin says it’s enjoyable nonsense and knowingly so.
