Immortals - (November 11, 2011): R
Distributor: Relativity Media
Opening Weekend Box Office: #1 with $32,206,425
Domestic Box Office Gross to-date: $32,206,425
Gross Revenue: $70,206,425
Production Budget: $80 million
Director: Tarsem
Beyond bearing a remarkable similarity to the runaway hit 300, several of the elements behind Immortals seemed to promise a significant and virtually guaranteed blockbuster sure to draw in large audiences. Based on the subject material alone, as Greek mythology is saturated with unique and thoroughly engaging entities, it was clear that Immortals was going to be imaginative and make full use of the available 3D technology. Of course, in terms of cast, Mickey Rourke was sure to deliver an engaging and entertaining villain, but Henry Cavill’s performance was clearly going to provide a testing ground for audiences to gauge his believability as a hero, a quality that would predict the success of his eventual turn as Superman in 2013’s Man of Steel. From a marketing standpoint, Relativity Media had more than enough material to leverage a strong audience presence, including but not limited to a release date of 11/11/11…think about it, such a unique calendar sequence was building buzz and inciting superstition, so what better date to release a film filled with mysticism and mythology? Based on early critical praise, it was clear that Immortals was going to be a cinematic event and visual treat, so as a fan of Greek mythology, I had high hopes for this newest potential hit.
Set in Ancient Greece, Immortals starts off by introducing the back-story of a war in the Heavens that raged on for centuries…the victors declared themselves Gods and took their place on Mount Olympus, while the defeated were branded Titans and imprisoned inside Mount Tartarus. The main narrative begins when the embittered King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke) declares war on Olympus after the Gods failed to intervene in the death of his family; the unforgiving ruler seeks a powerful weapon forged by Heracles known as the Epirus Bow, which he intends to use in order to free the Titans and destroy the Gods. In his search for the Bow, Hyperion attacks several holy places and seeks out the oracle priestess Phaedra (Slumdog Millionaire’s Freida Pinto), in the process destroying the village and murdering the mother of young warrior Theseus (Henry Cavill). Fully aware of the threat posed by Hyperion, the Gods of Olympus are nevertheless hesitant to interfere in the affairs of mortals; Zeus (Luke Evans) assures Ares (Daniel Sharman), Poseidon (Kellan Lutz), Athena (Isabel Lucas), Apollo (Corey Sevier), and Heracles (Steve Byers) that if there is one human capable of defeating Hyperion, it is Theseus, as the elder God has been mentoring the boy from birth while in disguise as an old man (John Hurt). With the support of the Gods, Theseus sets out alongside the thief Stavros (Stephen Dorff) and new acquaintance Phaedra in order to stop Hyperion and avenge his family.
As expected, the strongest part of Immortals involves the no-holds-barred and gloriously badass action scenes, whether that involves Theseus embracing his inner-warrior or the Gods unleashing their mystic powers, such as when Poseidon dives into the ocean and unleashes an apocalyptic tidal wave. As an action hero, Henry Cavill is surprisingly convincing and more than capable of holding his own in a fight…not only could he give any of the Spartans from 300 a run for their money, but I also pity anyone who dares face him as a hardcore Superman. Besides Theseus, in terms of characters, the Greek Gods of Olympus may be the most imaginative and stylish entities to hit the silver screen in years; anytime they appear, you are guaranteed an energetic, brutal, and visually-stunning fight sequence. The final fight sequence of the film in which the Gods confront the Titans is without a doubt the greatest battle I have ever scene, with jaw-dropping choreography, a downright epic score, and stunning 3D effects…the new gold standard for cinematic battle has been set and should not be missed by anyone. Were the entire film based solely on the Gods and Titans, Immortals would probably be the greatest action film ever made, but unfortunately, the story is nowhere near as engaging as the characters who inhabit the world presented.
Thanks to Disney, I’m sure that almost everyone has a basic working knowledge of Greek mythology, but Immortals delves so deeply into the mythos that a majority of the film comes off as just too weird. I remember fans complaining about certain ridiculous elements during 300, but rather than heed that audience warning, Immortals seemed determined to correct that perception, but strange cinematography, costuming, and production design only work to overshadow the contribution of other elements. For instance, Mickey Rourke is more than evil as Hyperion, but his surroundings, armor, and interactions with others makes it a little difficult to take him seriously. And, as is sure to happen anytime you go deeper into a mythos than a casual fan ever would, the story suffers…the overly complicated plot points drag on and only keep you on edge while you await more violence. Still, in spite of this inconsistent pacing, Immortals remains a thoroughly entertaining feature that should not be missed.
Well, it seems like Relativity Media has struck gold again, as audiences responded in droves to Immortals, earning the fantasy epic over $32 million and top spot at the weekend box office. Equally satisfying is the film’s foreign receipts, which actually outweigh the domestic haul…but really, what more could be expected of a film steeped do deeply in Greek mythology? With no other entries at the theater even close to offering anything like Immortals, I don’t foresee any problems in recovering the respectable $75 million production budget. As I said before, based on the final fight sequence alone, Immortals is an absolute must-see for any hardcore action junky. Unique, exciting, and undeniably epic, Immortals may not be perfect, but it certainly lives up to expectations and will not fail to entertain…I can only hope their will be a sequel.
Overall Recommendation: High
