Immortals (2011 - BluRay Review)

Director: Tarsem Singh

Writers: Charley Parlapanides & Vlas Parlapanides

Cast:

Henry Cavill         …      Theseus

Mickey Rourke     …      King Hyperion

 Stephen Dorff     …      Stavros

 Freida Pinto        …      Phaedra

 Luke Evans         …      Zeus

 John Hurt  …      Old Man

 Joseph Morgan   …      Lysander

 Anne Day-Jones  …      Aethra

 Greg Bryk  …      The Monk

 Alan Van Sprang          …      Dareios

 Peter Stebbings   …      Helios

 Daniel Sharman  …      Ares

 Isabel Lucas        …      Athena

 Kellan Lutz          …      Poseidon

 Steve Byers         …      Heracles

Plot: Eons after the Gods won their mythic struggle against the Titans, a new evil threatens the land. Mad with power, King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke) has declared war against humanity. Amassing a bloodthirsty army of soldiers disfigured by his own hand, Hyperion has scorched Greece in search of the legendary Epirus Bow, a weapon of unimaginable power forged in the heavens by Ares. Only he who possesses this bow can unleash the Titans, who have been imprisoned deep within the walls of Mount Tartaros since the dawn of time and thirst for revenge. In the king’s hands, the bow would rain destruction upon mankind and annihilate the Gods. But ancient law dictates the Gods must not intervene in man’s conflict. They remain powerless to stop Hyperion…until a peasant named Theseus (Henry Cavill) comes forth as their only hope. Secretly chosen by Zeus, Theseus must save his people from Hyperion and his hordes… Written by Anonymous

Review: Immortals tells the story of Theseus, a peasant that has unusual combat training in self-defence and battle. When war is declared by King Hyperion upon the human race, it is discovered that the Bow of Epirus is the one and only weapon that stands between complete victory and the annihilation of man by the power that the Bow possesses to free the Titans – An inhuman race that were beaten and imprisoned by the Gods eons ago. The fate of the whole world is put into Theseus’s hands, as no God can intervene in any of man’s conflicts, for if they do the punishment is death.

Immortals is so enjoyable to watch that the whole feel of the era, backgrounds and backdrops bring the viewer into the sense of knowing that the era was of the landscapes, the dress sense and the impoverished cultures that were given that category of privelage and priority. Where in Theseus’s case as a peasant who looks after his mother, the last thing in the world he wishes is something bad to happen to her.

The storyline is rock solid with no blips or stumbles, while the characters stay within synchronization of their parts. Theseus (Henry Cavill) it would seem was born to play the part of “The Chosen One”, as with King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke), who in his character’s nastiness pulls it off flawlessly as the ruthless power hungry mad man looking for revenge. Stavros (Stephen Dorf), even as someone as unmannered as a thief shows a strong build in the storyline as a sure follower of Theseus.

Additionally, the narration by John Hurt (As if anyone else could have been worthy enough to do the voice over storyteller) sits well in the beginnings of Theseus’s introduction to the story. Combined, the cast pull this film off with the easiest of ease in the ultimate showdown of brawn and intelligence when the balance of all three avenues of the storyline converges with bitterness and a crescendo of an utterly awesome visual climax to the story.

Directed by Tarsem Singh who has brought to the big screen such films as “The Cell”, “The Fall” and now “Immortals”, it would be a common mistake to believe that “300” could have been created by the same person.  And, with “Mirror Mirror: The Untold Adventures of Snow White” already in Post-Production, it is worth considering placing this Director on an A-List of any future film wish list.

If you, like us, prefer your films mapping out the story in a synchronous paced way, then this is a must rent, buy or see film. And, as mentioned, if “300”, “Ben Hur”, “Conan the Barbarian” and the likes were on your wish list this year, then you must most definitely get yourself a copy of “Immortals”.

DVD Archive Rating: 8/10

Additional Information:

Rated: 15 (Rated R for sequences of strong bloody violence, and a scene of sexuality)

Genres: Action/Drama/Fantasy

Official Website: Immortals Movie (With International Trailer)

Budget & Takings: $75,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend: $32,206,425 (USA) (13 November 2011) (3112 Screens)

Gross: $68,632,100 (USA) (25 November 2011)

Runtime: 110 minutes

© Marcus De Storm 2011

Immortals (Official Trailer)