Hercules

I'm very glad that I didn't know that Brett Ratner directed this movie prior to me watching it, otherwise I don't think I would have given it the fair shot I actually think it deserves.

But this movie definitely has a lot going against it. First off, if you're like me and you're still skeptical of Dwayne Johnson as an actor, an entire movie of him starring, not him in a supporting role like that of the Fast and Furious movies, but in the main role, you get a little bit nervous. I mean the last thing I saw him star in was the one where he was the tooth fairy... so yeah...

Secondly, the trailers for this movie really left a lot to be desired. I have no idea what this movie was actually about prior to watching it. Which can be a good thing when you just go straight into a movie, but if I didn't have other reasons for wanting to watch this film, I don't know if the trailers would have warranted me to actually watch this film with any sense of urgency.

But the main reason I was so interested in seeing this movie when it showed up on Netflix was the fact that I want to start seeing Dwayne Johnson in more serious things so I can gage whether or not he's a good fit for the DC universe, a universe we have already established is going to be a dark and gritty universe, very contrary to the Marvel Cinematic Universe which I actually half expected The Rock to be in.

For those who don't know, The Rock has been cast as the arch nemesis of Shazam, Black Atom. Its odd mainly because the Shazam movie is barely in any pre production stage and yet The Rock has been cast. BEFORE any word on who is playing Shazam.

I have the feeling they're going to finagle some way to making Shazam and Black Atom one and the same and if they did it correctly, that might actually work in this DC Universe that is being set up, especially since I find it a little bit difficult to bring someone like a kid named Billy Batson into this universe where Batman asks Superman "Do you bleed?" and there's a thing like The Suicide Squad.

But the point of this rant is to ask the question, is Dwayne Johnson the kind of actor that could fit in the DC Cinematic Universe.

I've already kind of said that I have learned to enjoy the Rock more and more, especially with films like Pain and Gain, that while it wasn't great, does showcase that the Rock is an entertaining movie star. But again, can the guy act, and can he be more than the entertaining large guy that comes into random franchises?

Hercules seemed to be the closest example I could find to test that question.

I'm going to come right out and say that while the marketing for this movie leaves a lot to be desired in regards to what the hell this movie is actually about, the actual plot is really something I've been waiting to be done right and I'm happy to say, Hercules does it right.

The movie begins by telling the story of Hercules (played by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson). Someone is retelling the legend of his conception, being The son of Zeus and enduring the 7 labors to establish his place as a demi-god amongst us mortals.

But you soon figure out that the legend is not exactly as mythical as its cracked up to be.

Hercules is, in fact, an "ordinary" man. I say "ordinary" because I mean... c'mon, its The Rock. The man is HUGE!

He is however a great fighter. This however is not enough and he furthers his reputation with the help of a group of mercenaries he carries out contracts with.

The movie is, in essence, the same premise as King Arthur. Its the idea that the legends are perhaps not all their cracked up to be, that there could have been a real Hercules, but this is exactly how the story became a myth.

The key difference is the execution.

King Arthur just put out a blanket statement at the beginning saying, this is the actual account of King Arthur and this is where the legend comes from.

Change the name of the characters in that movie however and you get the same outcome. The only reason that movie is called King Arthur is because that is marketable. Besides character names, there's no way to derive the legend from the real story.

Whereas Hercules not only doesn't come flat out and says, this is the more realistic version of the legend, instead toying with you and making you question whether or not this is a legend or just a realistic way of telling the story. But also, when the movie is suggesting that this is the more realistic version, they explain why they would think that Hercules was not just a mortal man.

He's got his nephew spewing out legend as they go, they use deception and smoke and mirrors to make people believe that Hercules is the demi god of legend.

And its done pretty well.

In King Arthur, I never really felt as though Arthur was extraordinary or warranted an incredible legend being told of him. He was just a soldier who did some cool stuff.

This movie goes out of its way to show you the rhetoric and means by which Hercules maintains the legend and every once in a while makes you questions whether or not the legend is real or not.

But what is the story about?

Hercules and his band of mercenaries are recruited by the King of Thrace (played by John Hurt). His kingdom is in danger of being overrun by the mythical centaurs and all he has is an army of farmers who are untrained. He recruits Hercules and his friends to train the army and defeat the enemy.

And that's all I'll say, there are a few twists and turns and it is actually kind of an interesting story... for the most part.

Consider this movie on the same level as 300 minus all the gore.

Its a Greek war story. There are a lot of battles, there's a lot of wartime politics, and there's a lot of battles.

I'll talk about performances next, but I'll leave Johnson's performance till the end. John Hurt of course does a pretty good job, the guy is just down right entertaining in my book in whatever he does.

And then you've got Hercules band of mercenaries.

And I'm not gonna lie, as much as I kind of liked these guys, they were all your pretty generic fantasy archetypes. You've got the bowman (or bow woman in this case) You've got the older man who has some kind of mythical powers who is also the conscience for the hero. You've got the crazy guy who wields axes.

I mean you've got some decent performances from Rufus Sewell and Ian McShane (McShane especially) but the rest of them are pretty generic and while they are entertaining, I really think they were more crafted to be the specialist of the group. They're known more for their fighting styles rather than their personality. Now, I would argue that for a movie like this, where the point is not necessarily to win Oscars and just give an action filled ride, this is more excusable. It doesn't make for a really compelling story or characters, but it is entertaining.

The rest of the characters in the film are your pretty generic run of the mill 300/ Game of Thrones characters (but not nearly enough development). They're the Greek characters with names you're not going to remember so they're really not worth mentioning. You'll probably just end up saying, there's that woman, or that guy with the cool whip. Which again, this is not an Oscar material movie, but it doesn't mean I'm going to forget it.

And then you've got The Rock.

Now I don't think anybody is going to walk out of this film thinking that The Rock is a world class actor. I'm not gonna lie, the first time I saw this trailer, I don't know if I could really take it seriously. First off, he's definitely wearing a wig. Second off, that goatee is priceless. Third of all, IT'S THE ROCK. As much as you want to believe this is a relatable character, the guy is a mountain. He's basically the heavy set character who literally carries a big stick. If this were a normal movie, Hercules wouldn't have been the hero, he would have been one of the mercenaries who carries a big stick. 

But because he's Hercules, and because we need to see Dwayne Johnson be more than a supporting character in these action franchises, this is what we got. 

Now... is it perfect? Oh god no. I'll say a lot of it is the writing, its not Shakespeare over here. 

That however does not mean that Johnson is not entertaining. He actually really is. 

Its actually one of the first times that I've seen Johnson do a straight role and not be a blank muscley sheet of paper. 

Again, any other movie, Johnson is a supporting character with his appearance, but the way this movie was conducted, helped by a decent performance by Johnson, I actually really enjoyed Hercules as a character. 

I mean, yeah, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson looking directly at the screen and yelling at the top of his

lungs, I AM HERCULES was kind of a dumb moment. But while there are a lot of scenes where The Rock doesn't exactly hit the right note in his acting, there are a couple more scenes where he actually is a good star for an action movie.

I'm still not totally sold that he works perfectly for the DC cinematic universe, however it has made me interested in seeing even more from the man.

I have access to HBO and I've heard a lot of good things about his new series Ballers. It looks a little bit like a comedy but I also believe it has a little bit of an edge to it that perhaps will give me more of an insight into his acting chops and get me more excited about his future in the DC Cinematic Universe, and just his career in general.

I read something that said that the majority of the critical reception for this movie was surprise that it was better than people thought it was going to be. And I'll be one of those people. While I had heard a couple good things about this film, after its release last year, I don't really remember hearing that much about it. I didn't hear bad things but I definitely didn't hear good things either and it just kind of disappeared. And again, I understand why this movie wasn't hyped up more.

I mean... it was directed by Brett Ratner... the guy who started the fall of X-men in the Last Stand.

But I was pleasantly surprised with Hercules. It definitely has its issues, but I don't think its at all a horrible movie. Its just a mediocre film that might be a fun watch if you're scanning Netflix for an action movie to watch. If you're looking for something more, you're probably not gonna find it here. But its a fun watch and an entertaining hour and a half.

But have you seen Hercules? How does it compare to other adaptations of the story? Comment and Discuss below! You can also send me your thoughts by following me on Twitter @cmhaugen24 and sending me ideas for movies or TV shows to review. I'll give them priorities (TV shows might take longer understandably, but I will watch them. You can also follow me to get updates on future movie news and reviews.

I'll leave you with this. I'm an avid fan of the Screen Junkies show and if you've watched it before you know the relationship The Rock has with Nick Mundy. Its a little bit dated but here's the Rock actually officiating Mundy's wedding. Enjoy!