After superheroes, it is time to humanise a demi-god who seems to be made for dumb franchises, where swordsmen are hired before the screenwriters. Earlier this year, we saw the Greek mythical figure fitting into the stereotypical frame in “The Legend of Hercules” but here director Brett Ratner has crafted as many moral dilemmas as the opportunities to showcase brute force for the son of Zeus.
Cutting through the legendary labours and the divine image or for that matter the marketing gimmicks employed to please the fan boys in the first few minutes, Ratner presents Hercules as a mercenary who is hired by Lord Cotys (John Hurt) to take on rogue warlord Rheseus (Tobias Santelmann). As he and his rag tag team comprising a spear flaunting seer Amphiarus (Ian McShane), a fearless warrior Tydeus (Aksel Hennie) and a cousin in the form of storyteller or mythmaker Iolaus (Reece Ritchie) among others go after the alleged rebel, they discover that there is more to it than meets the eye and in the process Hercules counters his bloody past where either he killed his family under the spell of his stepmother Hera or his selfless quality made king Eurystheus (Joseph Fiennes) insecure.
What gives the film its moral fibre is the fact that Ratner questions the myth of Hercules itself. Was he actually a demi-god? Did he really face death a dozen times? Does a hero really need the backing of a god? And ultimately puts him against what appears a well-meaning, old man. It inverts the whole concept of Herculean task but only when you see it from the point of view of brawn. Of course, it is done well within the confines of the genre. Nevertheless, it is a step forward in deconstructing the myth.
Ratner eschews computer generated battle scenes for old school hand to hand combat. Some of it is visually repulsive but it makes the contest grittier and visceral, particularly in the run up to the climax, making us believe in the mortal fears of a mercenary whom the public considers invincible.
However, as the narrative progresses, Ratner seems to feel that he is losing the hold on the bombastic side of the legend and returns to the shiny safety net of CGI and 3D effects. The dialogues have been written and delivered like an elocution contest is in progress and even humour is exposed like rippling muscles.
In this mayhem, female characters have token presence but Rebecca Fergeusan makes an impact as the daughter of Cotys, who introduces Hercules to her father.
Johnson has salvaged many B-grade products and here in the company of Ratner he manages to take us to the heart beneath that colossal frame. With Hurt providing solid company as the megalomaniac and Ian McShane shining as the seer who knows his death, Johnson manages to tide over the unevenness of the screenplay.
Genre : Fantasy/ Adventure
Director : Brett Ratner
Cast : Dwayne Johnson, John Hurt, Ian McShane, Rufus Sewell, Joseph Fiennes
Bottomline : A laboured attempt at redefining Hercules for the new generation.
