Immortals (2011)

Directed by: Tarsem Singh | 120 minutes | action, drama, fantasy | Actors: Henry Cavill, Mickey Rourke, Kellan Lutz, John Hurt, Freida Pinto, Joseph Morgan, Daniel Sharman, Isabel Lucas, Luke Evans, Stephen Dorff, Robert Maillet, Stephen McHattie, Mark Margolis, Corey Sevier, Steve Byers, Greg Bryk

Promotional material for ‘Immortals’ proudly stated “From the producers of ‘300’”. Nothing too much is said with that text, because everything shows that ‘Immortals’ is heavily indebted to Zack Snyder’s epic. From the ancient Greek setting, sweaty and heavily muscled men, to the meticulously choreographed fight scenes brimming with digital blood, it all resembles an unofficial “sequel” to ‘300’. If that comparison holds, then unfortunately the same applies to many sequels: the story is not nearly as good.

To start with the positive, the film looks beautiful. Beautiful digital sets, grand structures and the 3D effects look convincing. Those who like gory battles, where the heroes slaughter their enemies by chopping off their limbs, shattering their heads in fans of blood and piercing spears through their bodies, will certainly enjoy themselves. It is an orgy of violence that is both brutal in the performance and at the same time elegantly ballet-like. The actors also know how to exploit their stereotypical roles to the maximum. Henry Cavill is a charismatic Theseus and he has mastered the template of the “tough, taciturn and righteous hero”. As a sidekick, he has the thief Stavros (Steven Dorff), who doesn’t come into his own in all respects, but can make enough witty remarks to get noticed. Actress Freida Pinto plays the oracle Phaedra, in which she makes dark predictions, besides being especially beautiful in a red robe – and in one scene also without clothes. Mickey Rourke is the evil king Hyperion and the role of a merciless butcher and army commander has been entrusted to him. Despite the age difference between himself and the much younger Theseus, it’s easy to imagine that they are evenly matched. Veteran John Hurt has a nice supporting role, in which he can use both his striking head and voice as Theseus’ mentor. Finally, Luke Evans may play supreme god Zeus, where he may frown a lot and look brooding.

As said, it all looks nice, but you never have the idea that the action actually takes place in ancient Greece. Where thematically somewhat related (and also substandard) ‘Clash of the Titans’ did its best to match the decoration to what we know of Greek antiquity, ‘Immortals’ abandons any realism. From lonely towers on immense salt flats, a huge marble dam (larger than the Hoover Dam) at Mount Tartaros and villages carved into the rock, it is so terribly unrealistic that the viewer can sometimes involuntarily laugh. The mythology is also seriously taken for granted and in the classic stories it is shopped that it is a delight. Well, the film is clearly not made for the purists and aficionados of the Greek myths and stories that can distinguish Theseus from Odysseus and the Minotaur from the Argonauts, but some consistency would have been nice. The plot has also been made unnecessarily complicated, with unclear actions, appearing characters that are never properly introduced (for example, most Olympian gods are not mentioned by name and it is sometimes guesswork based on their attributes who is who) and the motivations that characterize the characters. floats, is put down in one sentence.

Anyone who likes stylized action, liters of blood squirting and lots of visual splendor (or probably belongs to the target group of young men under 25) will undoubtedly be well entertained for two hours. And others don’t.