Review of The Legend of Hercules (2014) by Filipeneto — 31 Aug 2018

Its not uncommon, unfortunately, to see Greek mythology being run over and clobbered by cinema or TV, with its most famous stories being rebuilt or turned on things that are anything but Greek mythology. This film is just one more that does precisely that, using characters of the myth of Hercules to create a new story. So I'll start by object the title. This isn't "The Legend of Hercules", it's just a story where Hercules enters without us understanding why. Script is so basic and primary that it looks like one of those lousy, melodramatic novels, sold in supermarkets for a few coins. I would even say that screenplay is just an excuse for a ton of action and pure hard pounding which seems inspired by movies like "300" or "Rambo".

Although I have managed to like or digest some of his films, Renny Harlin is far from being a truly skilled director. In this case, he totally lost his notion of ridicule, and this movie will probably haunt him to death. The cast is extraordinarily bad. Kellan Lutz is a lousy protagonist. It may have muscles, but it also has the same dramatic expressiveness as a Guinea Pig. He has no charisma, no presence and cannot express emotions, just strength. I've seen hosts of TV cooking shows with more dramatic skills than this actor, who should look for another profession. Good luck with that, Lutz! Gaia Weiss is attractive but she doesn't seem to know what she's doing there, and is never fully committed to the movie. Somebody give a map to this girl, she's lost and confused! Scott Adkins gave life to a cardboard villain, histrionic and pathetic, worthy of the worst possible death. Roxanne McKee is too young for the role she played. Liam McIntyre seems to be the best actor in this disastrous cast.

Visually, the film abuses CGI and sound effects to increase the impact of scenes, especially fights and action. However, the quality of the final work is rather mediocre. Bad cinematography, blurred, with colors between gray and brown, doesn't help either. Combats are utterly unrealistic, some blows and jumps are absurd and that effect of pausing or slowing down the film for a few moments in the midst of a jump or blow is so cliché that it gave me cravings for vomit. Costumes and sets are equally ashamed. The soundtrack is boring and ordinary.

In short: this film is a caricature, a cartoon where characters from the Greek legend of Hercules were chewed, dismantled and thrown into a kind of idiotic video game, lifeless and without emotion, for an hour and a half of pointless fights.