Dwayne Johnson: The People's Hercules

   

   So the time has finally come when all the world can sit and watch the epic role we all knew Dwayne Johnson was born to play. From the moment he stepped in front of the camera donning the crazy long dreads as the Scorpion King in "The Mummy Returns", Dwayne Johnson and his insanely muscular body has been at the forefront of casting directors' minds when searching for "large brutes". What's great about him though is, as the years have gone on he has become a much more well-rounded actor; avoiding the trap of typecasting his manly physique would cause him to fall into. Comparing his lack of acting chops as he donned the dreads a second time as Mathayus in "The Scorpion King", to his roles in such great films as "Pain and Gain", "Snitch", and the Fast and Furious franchise, you can tell he cares about perfecting his craft. The role of Hercules, the Greek Superman, was practically written for Dwayne and his numerous rippling muscles. His physique alone can be defined as nothing short of Herculean, with or without this movie. If he said nothing throughout the whole film and just walked around, grimacing at people and pummeling any and all who felt they stood a chance against him, it would still be entertaining.

   I've been fairly excited about this movie, pretty much since I first heard of its conception and its casting choice. I mean, c'mon, The Rock as Hercules? Nicely done Hollywood. As Angelina Jolie was the perfect choice to play Maleficent, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is the perfect Hercules. However, there are times when a movie succeeds in some areas, i.e. casting, and falters in others. In the case of "Hercules", the hype was a bit bigger than the finished product. Yet, I still enjoyed it...surprise, surprise.

   First, let me just get it out of the way, this iteration of the infamous demigod was not what I was expecting; nor was it for a lot of the other patrons in the auditorium with me, as I found myself sitting in the ever-growing pool of criticism that formed almost immediately as the end credits started rolling. This version finds Hercules roaming the land as a paid mercenary after enduring his legendary 12 labors. His sword-for-hire lifestyle is put to the test when the King of Thrace, Lord Cotys (played by the legendary John Hurt) and his daughter enlist his services to help rid the land from a tyrannical warrior. Sounds intriguing right? Yet, there was something about the movie that lacked the magic one would expect from a film about Greek's most infamous half-god.

   The thing about Greek mythology that's so appealing still to this day is the compelling mysticism they portray among their grandiose nature. Legendary warriors, larger than life individuals, thrown into the midst of completely obscure and practically impossible situations; you can't help but get sucked in. The story of Hercules is the granddaddy of them all. It's the most famous, the most recognizable and probably the most relatable story the Greeks ever told. When striving to make a film adaptation of any story, there's a two-sided coin that is constantly flipped. On one side you have casting, the other is the script or the story. It's tough to flip that coin and have it land in its edge. Most of the time, one side is more dominant than the other. If you have a great cast and a great story you have a greater chance at success. This iteration has a great cast, and a different story. Well, more like a different version of an already great story.

   What this movie does is present you with the tale of Hercules we've come to know and love being told throughout moments of the film by Hercules' talented orator of a nephew. However as these larger-than-life feats are described, we're presented in turn with evidences throughout the movie that maybe these stories being told are, in fact, just stories blown out of proportion. The legitimacy of Hercules being the half-mortal son of the almighty Zeus and the infamous nature of his various labors is questioned all throughout the movie. Were they the mystical labors or where they just varying paid jobs? Is Hercules truly the half-mortal son of Zeus or is he just a really big mercenary? It's an interesting plot device and a unique spin on the classic tale. The idea that "it's not what others say about you but what you believe you are" makes for a compelling take on a story that most everybody knows. As a whole, the movie was pretty good. The dialogue was okay, the story at times seemed a teensy bit choppy, but all in all it wasn't bad. It doesn't come close to the likes of similar style films such as "Gladiator" or the visually epic "300", but "Hercules" has a level of epicness all its own. The action is where this movie thrives, and I only wish there was more of it. There are subtle moments when you sit back and watch some of these action sequences unfold and you see The Rock wielding a club and sending enemies flying that you cant help but smile. At one point he throws a horse. C'mon, tell me that's not cool.

   "Hercules" is a fun movie. Though it falls short of the hype behind it, it's worth checking out. Dwayne Johnson is Hercules. It'll be tough to find another to play the role in some future iteration. At any rate, it's an enjoyable summer flick, worthy of seeing...at least a matinee.