Check out our review of this revisionist take on the mythical demigod Hercules, who after having endured his legendary twelve labors, has his life as a sword-for-hire tested when the King of Thrace seeks his aid in defeating a tyrannical warlord.
The Review at a Glance:
(max score: 5 )
Film:
Extras:
Audio/Video total rating:
( Max score: 100 )
93
Details:
Studio and Year: Paramount - 2014
MPAA Rating: PG-13/NR
Feature running time: 98/101 minutes
Genre: Action/Adventure
Disc Format: BD-50
Encoding: AVC
Video Aspect: 2.40:1
Resolution: 1080p/24
Audio Format(s): English DTS-HD 7.1 Master Audio, Spanish/French Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, John Hurt, Ian McShane, Rufus Sewell, Joseph Fiennes, Ingrid Bolso Berdal, Peter Mullan
Directed by: Brett Ratner
Music by: Fernando Velazquez
Written by: Ryan J. Condal & Evan Spiliotopoulos
Region Code: A,B,C
Blu-ray Disc release Date: November 4, 2014
"Before he was a legend, he was man"
My Take:
Hercules is based on the Radical Comics Graphic Novel “The Thracian Wars” and tells the story of the demigod Hercules, a tormented soul walking the earth that was neither man nor god. Hercules was the son of the god king Zeus, for this he received nothing but scorn from above his entire life.
Cast aside and made to suffer twelve arduous labours and the loss of his family, this dark, world-weary soul turned his back on the gods finding his only solace in bloody battle. Soon becoming a mercenary for hire Hercules banded together with the spear-wielding prophet Amphiaraus (Ian McShane), the knife-throwing thief Autolycus (Rufus Sewell), the feral warrior Tydeus (Aksel Hennie), the Amazon archer Atalanta (Ingrid Bolsø Berdal) and his nephew storyteller Iolaus (Reece Ritchie), their common bond being their love of fighting, devotion to one another and being paid for their services. Hercules and his band find their limits put to the test when the king of Thrace and his daughter seek their aid in defeating a tyrannical warlord whose growing threat has reached their borders. Training the fledgling warriors of Thrace in the ways of battle and leading them into the fray, Hercules soon comes to realize that he must come face to face not only with a tyrant (or two) but his own demons as well.
I generally tend to like Dwayne Johnson’s films. I mean he isn’t much of an actor but he primarily sticks to his strengths which are action/adventure or action/comedy films. This revisionist take on Hercules differs from previous big screen adaptations but retains much of the sword and sandal feel which includes large battle set pieces and mythical legends/beasts. I had no issue with the film’s sort of tongue in cheek context which is capably supported by Johnson and the stalwart group of actors in his mercenary band. There are some tonal shifts that sometimes ask too much of Johnson’s dramatic talents, giving way to levels of campiness that derail the essence of the film’s central action/adventure theme.
From a genre perspective the script is pretty straightforward and includes the requisite subplots and minor twists that add a bit of flavor. There are no true surprises or outstanding moments but the production elements and director Brett Ratner’s penchant for palatable action coupled with star Dwayne Johnson’s amiable charm make Hercules passable when viewed as light popcorn entertainment that doesn’t necessarily require more than one viewing.
Paramount has included both the theatrical version and an extended cut (which I viewed) that adds three minutes to the original’s run time.
Parental Guide:
The rating is for epic battle sequences, violence, suggestive comments, brief strong language and brief nudity.
AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100/EXCELLENT = 83-91/GOOD = 74-82/AVERAGE = 65-73/BELOW AVERAGE = under 65
**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**
Audio: 92
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
- Dynamics:
- Low frequency effects:
- Surround Sound presentation:
- Clarity/Detail:
- Dialogue Reproduction:
- Low frequency extension * (non-rated element): NA
Video: 94
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
- Resolution/Clarity:
- Black Level/Shadow Detail:
- Color Reproduction:
- Fleshtones:
- Compression:
Hercules comes to Blu-ray Disc from Paramount Home Entertainment featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 21 Mbps and lossless DTS-HD 7.1 Master Audio that has an average bitrate of 5.2 Mbps.
This is stylized video presentation that makes use of limited/darker color schemes and grittier textures that provide the look that the filmmakers strive for to drive the story’s components. Its predominantly sepia toned aesthetic is broken up by splashes of vivid primary colors, crimson, and warm golden accents. Bold use of contrast and rich blacks allow scenes containing mixed content to appear gradationally satisfying with punchy whites and dark dynamic highlights. Shadow delineation is strong and revealing of discernible detail visible in darkened backgrounds and low level wide angle shots. Resolution is excellent, particularly in brightly lit sequences, as images are characterized by definitively rendered detail that gives the video appreciable dimension and delineated texture. I saw no signs of artifacts or extraneous noise as the image has a whistle clean aesthetic that looked terrific on my big screen.
*It should be noted that the original press release I received for this title indicated that it would contain a Dolby Atmos/TrueHD 7.1 mix however it arrived with a different press release that indicated DTS-HD 7.1 Master Audio sound. *
This 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack is fairly aggressive and features an active surround mix that has extended dynamic range that positively renders the bombastic nature of the elements in the recording. The action based sequences transform the listening area into a three dimensional sound field filled via immersive surround activity that mates perfectly with the events unfolding onscreen. Low frequency effects produce bass that rumbles with tactile authority that occasionally pressurizes the room. While there are moments where punctuated deep bass can be felt it never entered the realm of the pant flapping extension that bass heads love to talk about. This shouldn’t be seen as a shortcoming as overall balance within the mix is appropriate and satisfying. Dialogue is reproduced with lucid expression and exacting clarity that produced just the slightest hint of sibilance in the upper registers. This is an entertaining audio presentation that features high level detail, excellent directional correlation and gratifying bass response. Give the volume knob a few extra clicks and enjoy.
Bonus Features:
- Theatrical and Extended versions of Hercules
- (HD) Brett Ratner & Dwayne Johnson: An introduction – 5 minutes
- (HD) Hercules and his mercenaries – 11 minute featurette
- (HD) Weapons! – 5 minute production featurette
- (HD) The Bessi Battle – 12 minute production featurette
- (HD) The effects of Hercules – 12 minute behind the scenes featurette
- (HD) 15 deleted/extended scene including an alternate ending
- Bonus DVD
- Digital HD Copy
Final Thoughts:
Hercules is based on Radical Comics Graphic Novel “The Thracian Wars[/i] and puts a revisionist spin on the mythical character that purists may find objectionable. I enjoyed it for what it was and would describe the film as mildly entertaining and better viewed with low expectations. It makes its debut on Blu-ray in both 3D Combo and standard Blu-ray packs, that latter of which is the subject of this review and features excellent high definition audio/video mated with a fair supplemental offering that looks behind the scenes at the production. When you’re in the mood for a bit of light popcorn entertainment toss Hercules in your rental queue and give it a spin on Blu-ray.
Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews
Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS4910 3D Ready 1080p High Definition Front Projector
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Stewart Filmscreen - Studiotek 130 G3 100” 16x9 Screen
Carada Masquerade Horizontal Masking System
Marantz AV8801 11.2 Channel Audio/Video Processor
Sherbourn Technologies - 7/200 Seven Channel Amplifier
B&K Reference 200.7 Series 2 Seven Channel Amplifier
Oppo BDP-103D Universal Disc/3D capable Blu-ray Player (With Darbee video processing)
Panasonic DMP-BDT310 3D capable Blu-ray Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Toshiba HD-XA2 HD DVD Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Sony Playstation 3 Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
System Controller: Apple iPad/iRule Pro HD Universal Remote Control
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