Review of Immortals (2011) by Thegodfatherson — 15 May 2013

Immortals is really awesome, but that's about it. First things first Immortals is not 300. True, it shares some producers and it’s a swords-and-sandals epic packed with tons of visual effects, but that does not mean it’s not its own creation entirely.

Immortals particularly the 3-D version is an ambitious adventure in epic, myth-fueled filmmaking and in visual effects. The R-rated movie, which opens Friday, is prettttty. Problem is, it’s hard to tell if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.

Using brilliant strokes, director Tarsem Singh (The Cell) has painted an intricate canvas that combines the world of Zeus and the other Greek gods with that of the grimy, war-ravaged world of mere mortals. From the hyper-realistic deaths by sword to the pristine marble worlds of the heavens above, it’s gorgeous. The tale of Immortals is, well, old. Hundreds of years before the common era, a peasant named Theseus (played by Henry Cavill) is secretly trained by Zeus to be a great warrior. Theseus ends up leading his people in a massive battle against King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke), who is essentially at war with humanity and searching for the magical Epirus Bow to unleash a wave of destruction. The bottom line is that Immortals is a great battle epic well-acted, gorgeously shot, etc. which is cool if you’re into that sort of thing. It’s an interesting take on what can be done with 3-D visual effects: The things done with multidimensional sunbeams and heavenly battles are incredibly cool to look at if you’re into that sort of thing. Also, you get to see the Wrestler beat the pulp out of the next Man of Steel, who, for what it’s worth, is so cut that shots of his abs make the movie appear to be in 4-D. And that’s amazing if you’re into that sort of thing. What you don’t get is anything more than that. Immortals is excellent Friday-night popcorn fare that one day will look brilliant on your 70-inch flatscreen TV. It’s a cool step in the evolution of mythic storytelling with modern effects. Go see it with your friends. But don’t be surprised 10 years from now after many more evolutionary clicks in visual effects, which seem less revolutionary each time when Immortals looks more like 300 than ever.