Sodas & Popcorn – Movie Review: Hercules

Director: Brett Ratner
Writers: Ryan Condal (screenplay), Evan Spiliotopoulos(screenplay), Steve Moore
Staring: Dwayne Johnson, John Hurt, Ian McShane

Having survived the mess that was ‘The Legend of Hercules‘ (oh, that film made my stomach run). I was very skeptical about seeing Dwayne Johnson a.k.a The Rock have his turn at playing Hercules…and somehow he comes off as the best of the lot, as hard to believe as it may sound.

In this film directed by Brett Ratner (Rush hour films), Hercules has endured his 12 legendary labours, now hunted by his past, the murder of his wife and children during a visit to King Eurystheus (Joseph Fiennes). 

On the request of Ergenia, princess of Thrace (Rebecca Ferguson) he heads to Thrace to be a sword for hire with his band of Merceneries which includes a spear wielding Amphiarus (Ian Mcshane) who can see glimpses into the future, a knife throwing thief, Autolycus (Rufus Sewell), the amazon archer Atalanta (Ingrid Bolsø Berdal), a blood thirsty warrior Tydeus (Askel Hennie) and his nephew Lolaus (Reece Ritchie) whose sole job is to constantly remind people how great Hercules is. Together, they are to help Lord Cotys (John Hurt) protect his kingdom from the bloodthirsty Rheseus (Tobias Santelmann). 

What’s good about the movie?
Ladies can drool over Dwayne Johnson’s perfectly sculpted Hercules Body. Gor the guys, Brett Rettner provides a lot of well directed action sequences to keep you on the edge of your seat, including one where Hercules leads a novice Thracian army out of an ambush of half naked barbarians. Amphiarus provides humor with his embrace of his fate to die in battle, Lolaus keeps us giggling with his constant ranting and Autolycus with his sarcastic one liners, but the real eye candy here is Dwayne Johnson’s effortless portrayal of Hercules. The man already looks like a Demi god. It also confronts the ‘Hercules is nothing but a myth’ theory – a place where the other films won’t go. There is a lot of similarity with the stunts of Hercules in this movie and that of Samson in the Bible. So expect a lion’s head to be torn off and huge pillars pushed asunder by bare hands.

What stinks about the movie?
The movie sometimes descends into cheesiness and drowns in it. The Romantic story isn’t well explored and then this is one movie you shouldn’t think too much of the plot twist. It raises more questions than it answers. I was a little let down by Joseph Fienness’s performance. It was a bit lacklustre.

My verdict?

You should go see this movie. It towers in comparison, to the intelligence lacking Legend of Hercules. This is a much better movie. From us at S&P HQ, Hercules gets a Sodas & Hotdog. 

So have you seen the movie? What did you think about it? Do let us know in the box below.

Head on to our website to read other reviews such as the rave making Nollywood short film Alpha Mom 

Review by Hafeez Oluwa

Photo Credit: Getty Images