Good news, Greek mythology nuts and Dwayne Johnson fans, the new Hercules trailer has hit the web – and boy, do we get a better look at Brett Ratner’s latest offering.
Perhaps even too much of a look if I’m being honest. By the end of the trailer, I felt like I knew exactly where the story would eventually go, but that isn’t to say it doesn’t look like a fun ride … or at least a better time than the utterly forgettable Legend of Hercules.
From what we’ve gathered, Hercules is set after the protagonist’s mythical twelve labours (some of which are featured in the trailer) and sees him working as a hired sword, before the King of Thrace (John Hurt) and his daughter seek his demigod abilities to battle a new threat in the form of an all-conquering warlord.
While the trailer does spoil a lot of the meatier set-pieces, it still manages to whet the appetite of any cinephile seeking non-stop thrill rides and over-the-top action sequences. Dwayne Johnson is in stellar shape as the film’s hero, a chiselled pillar of strength not seen since Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Predator days. If nothing else, they’ve at least got the look of a demigod spot on.
Also featuring Ian McShane as his usual reliable self in a role that seems to be filled with as much exposition as it does conviction, and the silver-tongued vintage talent that is John Hurt, the trailer promises to bring as much acting chops as it does CGI mayhem – which will only mean good things for the movie.
But to be perfectly honest, amidst the furor of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, X-Men: Days of Future Past and Godzilla, we forgot the summer blockbuster season had Hercules penned in the calendar at all. The trailer, however, serves as a signpost to the fact that even the lesser movies coming out in the coming months still have a chance to deliver the goods – at least in terms of spectacle. The visual effects look stunning and we’ll probably end up seeing this for the Hydra battle if nothing else.
Hercules hits cinemas on July 25, 2014. Expect an abundance of glorious slow-motion shots and hammy, over-the-top acting.