Hercules (2014)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2014
	Director: Brett Ratner (Rush Hour 1-3, X-men 3)
	Actors: Dwayne Johnson (The Rundown, The Scorpion King), John Hurt (1984), Ian McShane (Pirates of the Caribbean 4, Death Race), Rufus Sewell (Dark City)
	Country: USA
	Genre: Action, War, Fantasy, Epic
	Conditions of visioning: 24.06.2015, 3D Blu-ray, Home cinema with 22" 3D computer screen
Synopsis: Hercules (Johnson) and his companions are in search of a noble cause to defend, while stories of the legendary Twelve Labors of the semi-God are being spread by his nephew.
Review: Since the slow but steady revival of the modern Peplum genre with Gladiator in 2000, we have received a few movies per year in this genre, so I was expecting the legend of Hercules to be told at some point, and who better than the ex-wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson now action-hero to play the demi-God. Note that a similar project was born on the same year: The Legend of Hercules directed by Renny Harlin (Die Hard 2, Cliffhanger), which seemed more promising but made a flop. Since the very beginning of the movie the viewer is made to doubt the fantastic aspect of Hercules' Labors (the movie doesn't deal with those but actually takes place afterwards), being given hints of the truth behind all that. I liked this approach and was not surprised to find out that it came from the Comics the movie is adapted from (Steve Moore and Chris Bolsin's The Thracian Wars), as it is often the case those days. The story is indeed interesting and some visuals well-thought (like Hercules fighting soldiers equipped with shields decorated with a Lion's head, his symbol, resonating with his internal struggle), except for the mid-movie twist which was very predictable. What remains original about the movie then? Not much, maybe it is just a cinematic adaptation for those who don't find comics book immersive enough. But surprisingly, I found it to be the best role ever for Dwayne Johnson; the beard make him look different and he covers a panel of emotions larger than his usual comic of tough-guy sides.
Rating: 5 /10