It’s a well-known fact that a film trailer can be deceiving.
We’ve all gone into films expecting something magnificent, only to be let down because the product didn’t live up to the hype. Conversely, some average-looking films excel beyond our expectations — saving the best jokes, drama or explosions for the real deal. It’s a delicate, treacherous game that we play almost every time we hit the cinemas. Then there’s exceptions like Brett Ratner’s 'Hercules'.
If you’re in a rush, here’s the quick summary: It’s Dwayne Johnson hitting things. There’s some extra details, characters and storyline in there, but they collectively represent that tiny bowl of salad you get with a steak – somewhere between a decoration and a requirement to meet the health code.
That might be exaggerating, but only mildly – this is not a complex film. Hercules tells the story of the rumoured immortal son of Zeus, possessing godly strength and a painfully plastic-looking club. The film quickly reveals that Hercules is in fact entirely human, and travels the ancient world with a group of companions attempting to use his reputation to secure well-paying mercenary work. When the heroic group take one last high-stakes job before retirement (not even kidding), they end up in the middle of a power struggle that will determine both Hercules’ future and that of all the lands of Thrace.
It’s a straightforward design and is adequately executed. The action is the highlight of the film, with equal shares of Herc laying down the hurt and 300-esque war scenes. It’s good to still see a fair mix of practical and digital production used for the combat, although neither are done in an especially amazing fashion. The cast features some capable names – notably Ian McShane, John Hurt, Rufus Sewell and Joseph Fiennes – but they are restricted by a script that screams ‘written in an afternoon with Transformers playing in the background’.
The end result is extraordinarily average. The Rock is suitably rough, bland and stone-faced in his performance, and he leads the story at a mostly lively action-movie pace towards an uncomplicated finale. If you need to avoid complex thought for a few hours, Hercules is the perfect solution. It’s your standard action film – nothing more, nothing less.
2.5/5
‘Hercules’ is in cinemas now.
This review first appeared at This Is Film
