Greekmyths don't always have positive messages, but this one encourages people to never give up, to have hope that there's a way out of unthinkably awful situations, and to make your time with those you love count.
Hercules loves Hebe so much he will stop at nothing to return to her. Queen Alcmene doesn't agree with her husband's power-hungry, bloodthirsty tendencies, so she dedicates her son to be an agent of good, for the gods and their kingdom.
Mostly stylized violence like in the movie 300 with slow-motion war shots that then speed up. Lots of sword-on-sword violence but also Gladiator like arena fighting. High body count: men mostly die in battle usually from being stabbed. A man kills his wife with a dagger but makes it look like a suicide. Hercules wields the power of lightning in his sword. Men are shown hanging and speared.
One love scene between Hercules and Hebe that starts with kissing and then cuts to them discreetly under a sheet, but still caressing and kissing. In one scene, a woman moans as she is impregnated by an invisible Zeus. The king is shown touching two different women whom he ushers into his bedchambers.
Parents need to know that The Legend of Hercules is a fantasy adventure based on the Greek myth of Hercules, the demigod son of Zeus. The movie contains a mix of stylized and realistic violence that leads to a high body count: sword fights, battle scenes, hangings, and up-close deaths. Hercules and his beloved Hebe kiss passionately several times and make love once, but all that is visible is shoulders and backs. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
THE LEGEND OF HERCULES follows the origin story of the Greek demigod Hercules (which is actually the Roman name for Heracles), son of the god Zeus and the mortal Queen Alcmene (Roxanne McKee). Upset by her husband, the bloodthirsty King Amphitryon's (Scott Adkins) power-hungry wars, Alcmene begs the gods to stop him. As an answer to Alcmene's prayers, the goddess Hera allows Zeus to impregnate her with a son to be referred to as Hercules. The strapping baby boy grows up to be the barrel-chested Alcides (Kellan Lutz), who's in love with the neighboring kingdom of Crete's Princess Hebe (Gaia Weiss). Unfortunately for Hercules, his father the king betrothes his older brother (Iphicles) to Hebe. Unwilling to accept the wedding, Hercules is ordered away to Egypt, where he's sold as a slave and eventually returns to Greece as a fighter intent on winning his freedom and reclaiming the love of his life -- while also accepting his identity as Zeus' son.
Unless you are going solely for the excuse to stare at shirtless actors for 99 minutes, there's no reason to bother with Hercules. The action sequences are poor imitations of Gladiator, 300, and nearly every other ancient-legend drama, and the dialogue is laughable but not laughable enough to make the action-adventure campy or "so bad it's good."
Lutz looks and acts like a bleached and tanned college kid who spends all his time in the gym, and his beloved Princess Hebe is apparently only capable of one facial expression -- whether she's staring at a half-naked Hercules emerging from water, contemplating jumping to her death to escape an arranged marriage, or grieving her love's supposed death. The one bright spot in the cast is Liam McIntyre, who starred as Andy Whitfield's replacement on the Starz show Spartacus. He's a talented actor who deserves more than this forgettable swords-and-sandals fare.
Hercules (Kellan Lutz) is the son of Queen Alcmene and Zeus, born in secret to overthrow the tyrannical king Amphitryon (Scott Adkins) as an adult. In love with the beautiful Hebe, Hercules is betrayed by the king, who gives her to his other son, Iphicles. Exiled and sold into slavery, Hercules becomes a gladiator, triumphing over all his opponents. With the help of his comrade in arms Sotiris (Liam McIntyre), Hercules sets out to free the kingdom from Amphitryon's tyranny, rescue Hebe from her brother's clutches, and claim his rightful place as ancient Greece's greatest hero.
The Legend of Hercules will appeal to fans of action and adventure films, as well as to fans of Greek mythology. The film stands out for its impressive fight scenes and spectacular special effects. Audiences who enjoyed films such as 300 and Clash of the Titans will find The Legend of Hercules an epic and entertaining adventure. Kellan Lutz's physical performance and fight choreography add a special intensity to this mythological tale.
The Legend of Hercules is a mythological epic offering a combination of epic battles, royal betrayals and romance. Available on Prime Video from July 1, 2024, this film promises a thrilling cinematic experience for fans of heroic tales and Greek legends. Whether you're a fan of Kellan Lutz or looking for a mythological adventure, The Legend of Hercules is an ideal choice for an epic movie night.
Prime Video: New Amazon Originals and Exclusive Movies and Series in July 2024
Discover the new releases of Amazon Originals movies and series on Prime Video in July 2024. [Read more]
New films and series on streaming platforms in July 2024
Don't know what to watch? To find your way around the endless catalogs of streaming platforms, rely on our guide! Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+, Apple TV+... Here's a quick roundup of the films and series you need to see right now. [Read more]
Streaming: what are we watching this Sunday July 28th, 2024 on Netflix, Amazon and Disney+ platforms?
Feeling like curling up in front of the TV today? We've got the week's releases on your favorite streaming platforms, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+! [Read more]
Not all critics liked Hercules'distinct visual style and unconventional songs, but overall, the movie was a success both critically and commercially upon its release. Nowadays, however, this fan-favorite is often considered to be underrated, especially among the movies released during the Disney Renaissance to which Hercules belongs.
Luckily, however, Hercules is now seeing a lot of attention from fans some of whom are even eager for a live-action remake. For such enthusiasts, watching similar Disney animated movies can help them find even more hidden (or not-so-hidden) gems in the studio's filmography.
Based both on classical mythology and some of the middle-Eastern folktales collectively known as One Thousand and One Nights, Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas is an adventure that is even more epic than that of Hercules.
Receiving mixed reviews from critics and becoming a box office bomb, the animated movie is mostly forgotten nowadays but it still has its own fans and can definitely find even more audiences who will enjoy it.
Technically, Atlantis: The Lost Empire is also based on Greek mythology because it was created by the Ancient Greek philosopher Plato and was later used in numerous fictional works. At the same time, the animated movie is also an exciting adventure for its main characters.
Nominated for several awards, it was actually only a modest box office success and received mixed reviews from critics some of whom enjoyed its departure from the Disney formula while others disliked it precisely for that.
Another adventure story, The Road to El Dorado has two main protagonists instead of one, but that's what makes it so much fun to watch. Moreover, it uses culture rather than mythology to set its story and breathe life into it.
Despite being a box office bomb and receiving mixed reviews from critics, the animated movie lives on in the form of memes and also has some fans remembering it as a good movie not without its own issues.
At first glance, the only similarity between Hercules and Brave is that both of them use mythological and cultural elements from their respective geographical and historical backgrounds. But Merida and Hercules also have something in common - they both want to prove themselves to those around them.
Critically and commercially successful, it went on to win the Academy Award, Golden Globe, and BAFTA Award for Best Animated Feature while Merida was officially added into the Disney princess line-up.
To date, it remains the most expensive traditionally-animated movie ever made (which is probably also why the movie was a box office failure). Nevertheless, Treasure Planet was praised by critics and is still loved by audiences.
Despite being a box office success, it is believed that Rise of the Guardians actually lost money due to marketing expenses. On the other hand, it was still well-received by critics and received nominations for the Best Animated Feature Golden Globe and Annie Award.
Yet another animated movie based on mythology or folklore (this time, a Chinese legend), Mulan follows a protagonist who goes through training to become a better fighter - something Hercules also goes through.
At first glance, Big Hero 6 and Hercules couldn't be further apart. However, both movies deal with the theme of death in a very unique way with the topic being central to the two movies in certain scenes.
An obvious success, Big Hero 6 won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature along with other accolades and was a box office hit. Moreover, some even consider it to be one of the best superhero movies ever made.
Much like Big Hero 6, Shrek doesn't seem like a movie that would be similar to Hercules. Yet, both movies rely on humor a lot and make fun of certain things: Hercules of celebrity culture and Shrek of fairy tale staples.
Perhaps the movie's most notable achievement, Shrek was the first movie to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature (and was also nominated for the Best Adapted Screenplay). In addition to that, Shrek's success helped DreamWorks become a real competitor to Pixar in the world of animation.
3a8082e126