Historical epics and blockbuster fantasy had both experienced mixed fortunes individually since each genre enjoyed its respective boom at the 21st Century, so combining the two of them in 2011’s Immortals was a risky proposition from the outset.
While critics weren’t left particularly enthused by the narrative, the fantastical deep dive into gods and monsters performed substantially better at the box office than a lot of people might remember after it raced to a solid $226 million in ticket sales against a production budget of $75 million.
Featuring a fresh-faced Henry Cavill displaying his action hero credentials prior to being cast as Superman in Man of Steel, director Tarsem Singh creates a visually stunning – albeit thematically empty – tale of a hero embracing their destiny in defiance of deities to avoid a war that could shake the foundation of both man and god to their core.
On nothing but an aesthetic level, Immortals is unquestionably one of the most beautiful big budget adventures to come along in the last decade and change, with streaming subscribers finding themselves immersed in the world all over again after FlixPatrol revealed it to be one of the most popular features on Max this week.
Thanks to some expertly-staged set pieces, some brutal hand-to-hand and weapon-assisted combat, and a stacked ensemble cast spouting portentous dialogue with an admirably straight face, Immortals exists somewhere between an unsung gem and a guilty pleasure.
Regardless of which side of the fence you fall on, it’s well worth a shot if you’re planning to watch it on the largest TV possible in the highest quality available, based solely on its visual splendor.