The legend of Hercules doesn’t live up to the truth in the tales, but instead Hercules has his group of Magnificent Seven mercenaries in this more reality based tale on the popular myth of demigod Hercules which adapted from a comic book (HERCULES: THE THARCIAN WARS).  Hercules (Dwayne Johnson) and his band of fellow warriors (mostly men and one kick-ass Amazon woman) are hired to bring peace to Thrace to stop the evil Rhesus and train King Cotys’ (John Hurt) soldiers, but Hercules soon finds not everything is as it seems like the stories his nephew tells about Hercules and his Twelve Labors.  HERCULES is an enjoyable for one viewing with a good mix of humor and action.   Dwayne Johnson is a good Hercules while the cast is an assortment of refined actors like Rufus Sewell, Ian McShane, Joseph Fiennes, and John Hurt.   Brett Ratner manages to create an entertaining popcorn film that won’t be remembered as the best sword and sandals film, but it isn’t the worst one either.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Audio commentary (for the theatrical cut) by Brett Ratner and Beau Flynn

BRETT RATNER AND DWAYNE JOHNSON : AN INTRODUCTION- Learn that Hercules was a dream project for Dwayne Johnson even when he had a leg tendon injury and triple hernia surgery.   Brett wanted a realistic Hercules film and always wanted to do a swords and sandals picture.

HERCULES & HIS MERCENARIES- an introduction to Hercules and his mercenary group as this featurette focuses on the characters and actors who play them

THE BESSI BATTLE- a behind-the-scenes look at how all the work that went into making this battle sequence.

THE EFFECTS OF HERCULES- a short look at the combo of practical and digital effects that were used and sometimes combined to create the visual effects

WEAPONS!- a brief look at all of the movie’s weapons used in the film from rubber versions to the steal ones they also used for non-battle sequences.

15 deleted and extended scenes with some of them featured in the extended cut and an alternate ending which I wish they left in the movie.

Digital HD Ultraviolet copy of the movie

Theatrical Cut of HERULES in standard definition on DVD

FINAL ANALYSIS:  HERCULES is interesting light fair like the Magnificent Seven done as a sword and sandal pic.  I like the revisionist take on the HERCULES legend

This blu-ray review is ©11-8-2014 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without -permission.  Send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com

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