Hercules (2014)
Hercules is a 2014 American action-adventure fantasy film starring Dwayne Johnson as the titular character. It is directed by Brett Ratner based on a screenplay written by Ryan J. Condal and Evan Spiliotopoulos. The film also stars Ian McShane, Rufus Sewell, Aksel Hennie, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Reece Ritchie, Tobias Santelmann, Joseph Fiennes, Peter Mullan, Rebecca Ferguson, Irina Shayk, Isaac Andrews, and John Hurt. It is based on Steve Moore’s graphic novel Hercules, specifically The Thracian Wars limited series. Distributed jointly by Paramount Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it was released on July 25, 2014. It is one of two Hollywood-studio Hercules films released in 2014, the other one being Lionsgate’s The Legend of Hercules. The film became a box office success, earning $244 million on a $100 million budget and received mixed reviews from critics, with some praise for Johnson’s performance and the action sequences.
Plot.
Hercules is the leader of a band of mercenaries comprising the spear-wielding king-turned-prophet Amphiaraus of Argos, the knife-throwing thief Autolycus of Sparta, the feral warrior Tydeus of Thebes, the Amazon archer Atalanta of Scythia, and his nephew, storyteller Iolaus of Athens. Hercules is said to be the demigod son of Zeus, who completed the legendary Twelve Labors after he was betrayed by Hera, who drove him insane and caused him to murder his wife Megara and their children during a visit to King Eurystheus. Throughout the film, it is not clearly established that Hercules is truly the son of Zeus and many are skeptical of the claim as well as of the stories of Hercules’ famous Twelve Labors. Despite this, Hercules displays unusual inhuman strength and nigh-unmatched skill in combat. However, Hercules is frequently haunted by the memory of the deaths of his wife and children by his hand, as well as visions of Cerberus.
After finishing a recent mission and saving his nephew on the Macedonian Coast in Northern Greece in 358 BC, Hercules and his team are celebrating and drinking at a tavern when they are approached by Ergenia, the daughter of King Cotys, who wants Hercules to train the armies of Thrace to defend the kingdom from bloodthirsty warlord Rhesus. Hercules accepts after he and his men are offered his weight in gold, and the band is welcomed to Thrace by Cotys and General Sitacles, leader of the Thracian army.
However, Rhesus has reached the Bessi tribe in Central Thrace and Cotys insists that Hercules lead the army into battle to defend the Bessi, despite Hercules’s objections and the army’s lack of training. However, they are too late as Rhesus’ supposed sorcery has turned the Bessi against the Thracians.
After the Bessi are defeated following a long and disastrous battle which results in at least half the Thracian forces being killed, Hercules and his allies properly train the army. When the training is complete, Hercules and Sitacles confront Rhesus and his soldiers after a day-long journey on the battlefield before Mount Asticus. The Thracians force Rhesus’ army to retreat after an arduous battle, but Rhesus himself rides out to confront Hercules and is defeated by him.
Rhesus is taken back to Thrace as a prisoner, where he is publicly tormented and humiliated. Taking pity, Hercules stops the townsfolk from throwing more objects at him. When Hercules mentions Rhesus’ actions of burning down villages, Rhesus tells him it was not him or his army and tells Hercules that he has been fighting on the wrong side.
