Brett Ratner ("Rush Hour," "Red Dragon," "X-Men:The Last Stand") is the kind of director that many critics love to hate. He has undeniable technical talent but sometimes seems content to simply churn out profitable comedies and action movies rather than cultivate a reputation as an auteur. Combined with a penchant for making as many headlines for the tabloids as he does for the quality of his films, it's easy to see why he is a lightning rod for criticism.
The truth, like his film career, is somewhere in the middle. Ratner makes snappy, well-paced movies that are visually engaging and humorous but not exactly intellectually challenging. Ratner certainly doesn't have to apologize for that, and in the current era of "dark and gritty" there is certainly a place for his brand of fast-food movie fun.
So it shouldn't be any surprise that despite marketing that promised epic fantasy adventure, Ratner's "Hercules" is instead a rock 'em, sock 'em, swords-and-sandals picture that somehow manages to put the "meh" in "mythology."
The trailer for "Hercules" featured some amazing action shots of Hercules battling legendary monsters like the Hydra and the Nemean Lion. It was enough to make a certified sword-and-sorcery nerd such as myself tingle in anticipation. Had Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson finally found the vehicle to launch his career to the next level, like "Conan the Barbarian" did for Arnold Schwarzenegger 30 years ago?
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwlynHlZEc4?rel=0&w=514&h=289]
Sadly, it's not to be. The monsters in the trailer literally only appear during the first five minutes of the film.
That's because "Hercules" is actually a movie that attempts to deconstruct and demystify the myth of the demigod. The Hercules of legend is the son of Zeus and supernaturally powerful. In this version of the story he is just a man, a great warrior who with the help of his adventuring companions spreads tall tales of of his exploits to increase his fame as a mercenary and strike fear into his enemies. The film opens with a few montaged minutes of Hercules slaying monsters, then spends the next hour and a half driving home the point that there is no real magic.
As for the plot, Hercules is recruited by Lord Cotys (John Hurt, chewing up the scenery with aplomb) to train the armies of Thrace to fight and defend his kingdom from a warlord named Rheseus (Tobias Santelmann). Hercules accepts the offer and begins to hastily train the comically inept recruits. But a bevy of bloody battles isn't all that awaits Hercules and his companions. There is treachery afoot, one that will force Hercules to take revenge and reclaim his honor in the process.
Despite the switcheroo ("Hercules is just a guy, not a god!") that robs the film of magic and monsters, this film does boast some well-done battle scenes. He may not be the son of Zeus but Hercules remains preternaturally strong, which leads to some impressive shots of him tossing opponents around and throwing punches that send grown men flying. Of course, that gimmick — combined with the fact that Ian McShane ("Deadwood") somehow makes it through 98 minutes without dropping an F-bomb — allows for a fairly bloodless swords-and-spears movie with a box office-friendly PG-13 rating. Comedy, Ratner's other trademark, is in evidence as well, as there are a number of amusing sight gags and one-liners to complement the action.
Like much of Ratner's work, any sins this film lays claim to are ones of omission rather than commission. "Hercules" does what it does fairly well despite some predictable plot reversals and inadequate characterization. The film's major failing is that it doesn't utilize its strongest feature, Dwayne Johnson, nearly enough. The "deconstruction" angle could have actually been quite compelling and interesting if enough time and attention were given to dramatic characterization. Instead, here it is simply used as an excuse to make a by-the-numbers action flick instead of an epic. As Ratner states in one of the special features, he didn't want to make a fantasy film but rather a more realistic Hercules. If you're going to go that route, that's fantastic, but give the audience more realism than we'd find in one of the "Rush Hour" movies.
The fact is, Dwayne Johnson is better than this — and that has unfortunately been the case in a lot of his films. "The Rock" has undeniable charisma, screen presence and comedic timing. Obviously he has the look and athleticism for roles like this, but as he gets older and gains more experience we can start to see he has some nuanced dramatic chops too. Johnson's Hercules is at times grizzled and haunted, and although he still comes across as affable and authentic (something that has never been a problem for him onscreen) there is an added, subtle layer of sadness in this performance that makes it all the more frustrating that the film doesn't at least try for more depth.
One can only wonder if a director like Ridley Scott could do for Johnson what he did for Russell Crowe. Instead, we get Brett Ratner.
"Hercules" is available on Blu-ray and DVD beginning Tuesday, November 4. The Blu-ray is well-attired with special features, but the DVD is more... spartan. (It contains only the theatrical cut of the film.)
Special features on Blu-ray only include:
-- Theatrical version of the film, with audio commentary by director Ratner and producer Beau Flynn.
-- Extended cut.
-- "Brett Ratner and Dwayne Johnson: An introduction" featurette with interviews with the director and star about their reasons for making "Hercules."
-- "Hercules and his Mercenaries" featurette, includes interviews with the actors, profiles of the characters they play, discussion of character & costume design, stunt training footage, camera tests, etc.
-- "Weapons!" featurette, includes discussion of each character's signature weapons and fighting style, prop creation and fight training with the actors.
-- "The Bessi Battle" featurette, a behind-the-scenes look at one of the biggest action sequences in the film.
-- "The Effects of Hercules" featurette on the film's special effects.
-- 9 Deleted Scenes & 6 Extended Scenes.
-- UltraViolet Digital Download.
Film: 3 Yaps Extras: 4 Yaps (Blu-ray); 0 Yaps (DVD)