Hercules 2014

This year of 2014, there have been two Hercules movies. The first, The Legend of Hercules, was decent, though it offered nothing unique. This one starring Dwayne Johnson has more development of the theme of courage and more unexpected plot twists. I approach most movies without a lot of expectations, knowing I’ll find a movie somewhat rewarding if the values, writing, and editing are good.

This one gave me more enjoyment than I expected. Hercules is the natural choice for an ancient superhero. When you add themes of justice and the rights of the people and make that Hercules’ cause to fight for, he becomes as relatable as Superman, Batman, or Spiderman. One of the strengths of this superhero movie is that it’s not primarily about supernatural powers but about the meaning of courage.

Hercules does have superhuman strength in this, but his victory always depends on triumphing over internal struggles first. His powers don’t come very naturally, so he’s easier to relate to. Hercules in this movie is more like John Henry, the American railroad worker superhero, than like a demigod. In fact, the movie goes to extra lengths to convince you he’s just a man, not a god. I feel like it developed the internal struggles of a superhero better than most superhero movies, and that made it more rewarding when he succeeds.

When Hercules is in action on this movie, it feels truly awesome because he has to work so hard to produce that superhuman strength. The movie does a great job with the pitched battle scenes. It is as rewarding to watch them as some of the great battles on the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The movie’s intensity level is a bit stronger than I like, but it really helps that the movie stays PG-13 instead of indulging in graphic gore