Starring:
Kellan Lutz, Gaia Weiss, Roxanne McKee, Scott Adkins, Liam McIntyre, Liam Garrigan, Johnathon Schaech, Rade Serbedzija, Luke Newberry,
Kenneth Cranham
Director: Renny Harlin
In his cosmological treatise, On the Heavens, Plato’s student Aristotle wrote that the Pillars of Hercules (now called the Strait of Gibraltar which connects Europe and Africa) also linked India via the ocean. In other words, he said, the world is round and the sea is one. Some years later Aristotle’s pupil Alexander the Great wrote a letter to Aristotle about his expeditions and travels in India. It would be great if The Legend of Hercules spawned a whole new franchise and Renny Harlin made a sequel about the half-god, half-man in India. Surely, the Labours of Hercules must have brought him to Bharat Desh?
Since this is an epic origins story, we learn that blonde Hercules (Kellan Lutz, ‘Twilight’ saga) is the son of Zeus by Queen Alcmene (Roxanne McKee) who no longer loves her husband King Amphitryon (Scott Adkins) for his violent, dissolute ways. It must be noted the “adulterous” offspring is actually the answer to her prayers to Zeus’ wife Hera. Amphitryon can’t stand him, sibling rivalry makes things worse for our hero: his dark-haired blue eyed half brother Iphicles (Liam Garrigan) is set to marry the beautiful Cretan princess Hebe (Gaia Weiss) whom Hercules loves. When Hercules is all of twenty, Amphitryon despatches a small army (led by Hercules and a brave fellow warrior Sotiris (played by Liam Mclntyre) to their doom but both the demi-god and Sotiris survive slavery and untold hardships.
As re-imagined by four screenwriters (including Harlin) Hercules is a combination of the Hebraic hero Samson and the Messiah, Christ. With his message of hope, the strapping young man is seen as a saviour by the oppressed people. But Hercules has yet to come to terms with his destiny. As he embarks on his quest to free the kingdom from the tyrannical Amphitryon, and win back Hebe, we see that aspects of his character and the plot have their provenance in Scripture.
That apart, the action adventure is evocative of 300 and Gladiator among other epic dramas. Even so, this tale of enduring love, courage, sacrifice and bravery is engaging enough to keep the audience satisfied.
Ronita Torcato
ronitatorcato@gmail.com
