Immortals Review

I've been waiting for months for the release of this epic movie seriously months and for months on end. Numerous blog posts have been dedicated to Immortals, hours in line and in press rooms and finally its here, but does the movie live up to the hype? Is it all fluff and beefcake? Can Tarsem Singh deliver another imagery masterpiece?

The simple answer is Immortals is Ah-maz-ing. Tarsem seems incapable of doing anything ordinary, his imagery is lavish, and he excels in 3-D where most barely make an effort. The comparisons to 300 are numerous, but it takes war and quests to all new heightened levels in ways that Leonidas only wished he could ascend to and without the heavy CG backdrops. The setting is as bizarre as it is beautiful from its mud caked boxed up titans to giant bull shaped sibylline roaster to the shining golden gods. The visuals are spectacular and everything is on a grandiose scale.

The story centers around Theseus, the fatherless peasant, though in mythology he is the son of Poseidon. Theseus strives to avenge the death of the only person he truly cared about, his mother, who died at the hands of the mad King Hyperion. Theseus quest is long and arduous, and Henry Cavill was born to be a hero. He’s more than just a pretty face and a hard body, his strength, vulnerability and fierce protectiveness of his mother make him an unstoppable force. And boy can he wield a bow, and sword, and even bits of fallen armor. The man is perfection, even covered in oil, and don’t even get me started when he’s armor clad.

On the dark end of the spectrum is King Hyperion, who has declared war against all of humanity and plans to release the Titans. Hyperion, played to perfection by Mickey Rourke, searches out the Epirus Bow which will aid him in his plan to bring down the Gods for standing aside idly as his family died of pestilence and disease. As righteous and well intentioned as Theseus is Hyperion is not, and the way he treats his men’s boys, is rough to say the least, especially in 3-D. Seriously, I don’t even have balls, and I had a hard time swallowing when the mallet swung.

The fight scenes are ambitious, and well choreographed, there was far more blood than I was expecting. It was very graphic, and I was blood thirsty in my want for more. Few people make swinging a trident as sexy as Kellan Lutz’s Poseidon did. Lutz’s part was not a big one, but he commanded the screen every time he was on, even with his ridiculous and ornate head gear. But he rocked the loin cloth like no other.

Watching the Gods in action alone was worth the months of waiting, the first time Daniel Sharman’s Ares swings his hammer as his opposition is obliterated in stylized slow motion brings a certain beauty in the midst of destruction. Luke Evan’s Zeus was both vicious and sexy in his unwavering ruling. And even Isabel Lucas as daddy’s girl Athena brings a great combination of ferocity and gentleness that’s touching and sincere. I’m not a huge Lucas fan, but she played up the feigned innocence when in the presence of her daddy, and a growling determination in the face of the Titans.

On the other hand Freida Pinto is flawless as Phaedra, the virgin oracle. She’s a heady mixture of power, wisdom and purity. And Stephen Dorff’s Stavros is pure comedic pleasure. The movies entire casting was beautifully done, one of the few that I can say I completely agree with.

Immortals is the grand mythic romp that audiences have been waiting for. Where movies like Clash of the Titans failed audience expectations Immortals surpassed all of mine. It’s one of the few movies I can say is worth the 3-D price and hassle, and its one not to be missed. Don’t wait for DVD on this one, experience it on the big screen like it was meant to be seen. If you like big action movies, Tarsem delivers. And well if you like sweaty mouth watering delicious men, he delivers that as well. Immortals is out in theaters today 11-11-11.