Brains, beauty ’n’ brawn

Hercules duels with Lucy while 22 Jump Street provides the laughs

This image released by Paramount Pictures shows Dwayne Johnson as Hercules in a scene from "Hercules."

Kevin Sorbo, Jerkules and Hercule Poirot come to mind when one thinks of Hercules. The mythical superhero’s original Greek name was Heracles. The Romans took over the myth and made it their own. The son of the king of gods, Zeus and a mortal, Hercules is best known for his 12 tasks which include killing the Nemean lion and the hydra as well as cleaning the Augean stables and getting Hippolyta’s girdle (some Freudian stuff happening here).

Agatha Christie’s famous Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, is contemptuous of his namesake who he dismisses as a “large muscular creature of low intelligence and criminal tendencies.” However he decides in the final year before his retirement to the country to grow vegetable marrows, to take up 12 cases which would be his labours. Christie’s The Labours of Hercules chronicle Poirot’s modern take on the tasks and even though some the stories stretch the conceit a wee bit, they are thoroughly enjoyable.

The Urban Dictionary describes Jerkules as a “a jerk with big muscles.” And Kevin Sorbo is from that television series where Sorbo played Hercules. He also appeared in a few made-for TV films. The spin off from the series,

Xena: Warrior Princess was, however, better known. Hercules with his ambiguous morality has always been a favourite of artists and sculptures though his media avatar has always been this big beefy guy doing all manner of fantastic feats. In the fifties and sixties there were 19 Italian movies featuring Hercules that did a lot to popularise the sword-and-sandal saga. Incidentally

Hercules in New York in 1969 is notable for being Arnold Schwarzenegger’s debut film!

After a lull, 2014 saw a Hercules double bill. There was the critically panned

The Legend of Hercules and there is Hercules directed by Brett Ratner (yes the Rush Hour man). Based on the graphic novel Hercules: The Thracian Wars (there is a controversy over credit for writer Steve Moore) the film stars Dwayne Johnson as Hercules. Though the trailors show Hercules fighting a lion (the Nemean one?) and the hydra, the movie is supposed to be set after the labours when the king of Thrace (John Hurt) and his daughter ask his help to defeat a wicked warlord.

The movie looks all glossy, action-packed and epic and Dwayne Johnson looks like a Rock with his impossible biceps.

While

Hercules is all about brawn,

Lucy , also releasing this week is all about a drug that makes you super brainy. Written, directed and edited by Luc Besson, the film stars the lovely Scarlett Johansson as Lucy, a student in Taiwan who unknowingly becomes a drug mule for this super drug.

The drug is sewn into her stomach and when it leaks, she becomes all brainy and gets her own back. Morgan Freeman plays a professor who might be able to help her. Besson who has written and produced the Taken movies (there is going to be a Taken 3 next year) and more recently 3 Days to Kill and Brick Mansions presents a pop sci-fi film much in the tenor of his The Fifth Element .

The third movie out this week is 22 Jump Street . A sequel to 2012’s 21 Jump Street , the film sees the return of the directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller as well as leads Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, playing undercover cops Morton Schmidt and Greg Jenko.

This time around the duo is in college tracking a drug supplier. Based on the television show 21 Jump Street , wonder if this film, like the earlier one, will feature Johnny Depp.

Depending on whether you want to work your mind, muscle or funny bone, will determine your choice of movie this weekend.