Historian Dr. Roel Konijnendijk appraises the historical accuracy of the 2014 action adventure movie Hercules. Starring Dwayne Johnson as the titular character, this fantasy feature film follows a troubled demigod who is hired to confront an evil warlord along with his assembled band of mercenaries. Aside from Johnson, the movie’s other mythical characters were played by talented actors like Peter Mullan, Joseph Fiennes, Rufus Sewell, Ian McShane, and John Hurt.
Now, in a video by Invicta, Dr. Konijnendijk analyzes the accuracy of a particular battle scene in Hercules. The extensive analysis delves into how battle lines were originally created, the way different battle formations come together, and the ancient pieces that Hercules and his large army wear. Ultimately, he gives it a 6 out of 10. Check out Dr. Konijnendijk’s full comments and the video below:
Johnson’s 2014 movie coincided with the release of another Hercules adaptation in the same year. Renny Harlin’s The Legend of Hercules, which was released a few months before the Johnson movie, also followed the life of the mythical warrior. However, only the former offered a memorable and captivating version of Hercules’ story. While Harlin’s adaptation was a box office bomb and received mainly negative reviews, Johnson’s movie became a modest box office success, earning $244 million on a $100 million budget.
It also received varied reviews from critics. According to Rotten Tomatoes, Hercules holds an approval rating of 58%, which indicates just how split critics are on the movie. While some praised the movie for its enjoyable action sequences and impressive effects, others criticized Hercules for being visually busy while lacking any sort of real emotional pull. As evidenced by Konijnendijk’s thoughts, the movie had some accuracy in its depiction of Ancient Greece, but its place as a fantasy tale meant things could be a bit more unrealistic. It seems Hercules succeeded in its attempt at being an epic mythological tale.
Another major highlight of Hercules was Johnson, who put on a commendable performance. The action star put his trademark bravado and charisma to good use, adequately bringing to life one of the most notable mythical figures. While the movie might have struggled to accurately depict some of its ancient battle scenes, as Konijnendijk pointed out, ultimately the movie manages to deliver an admirable tribute to the warrior’s famed story.
Source: Invicta
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