Written by Reem Saleh, New Media, DFI

Film: Immortals
Year: 2011
Director: Tarsem Singh
Stars: Henry Cavill, Mickey Rourke, John Hurt and Freida Pinto.
Genre: Action, Drama, Fantasy.

From the producers of “300” and Tarsem Singh, director of “The Cell” and “The Fall”, comes “Immortals”, a film with similar visual grandiosity based on Greek myths. In search of the legendary Epirus Bow, the Heraklion King of Crete Hyperion (Mickey Rourke) declares war on Olympus after the Gods fail to answer his prayers and save his family from illness. In a macabre fashion, he commits a series of ruthless massacres along the way.

The Epirus Bow has endless powers and is able to release the long time, imprisoned and ferocious Titans who have been at war with the Gods and threaten their very existence. Power falls into the wrong hands and the only salvation to humanity is Theseus (Henry Cavill), a young peasant who takes on a difficult and enduring path to lead his people. An old wise man mentors Theseus, but turns out to be Zeus in disguise. An immortal spiritual dilemma is depicted: while the Gods have put their faith in him, Theseus doesn’t seem to believe in them.

This videogame-like epic adventure follows the righteous Theseus tasked with an impossible mission. The Gods have given him the tools but refuse to interfere unless the Titans are released. The inevitable female lead accompanying our hero is the virgin oracle priestess, Phaedra (Freida Pinto). She serves as a spiritual guidance for a man who, due to past circumstances, has lost faith but not the will to fight for a good cause. He is naturally inclined towards defending the less fortunate, making him the Gods’ favourite mortal.

We follow protagonist Theseus as he climbs from one level to another, surpassing challenging obstacles, while heads are being ruthlessly chopped off and blood almost reaching the front rows of the theatre. Hyperion is now in possession of the bow, menacing the future of mankind.

The film serves well as an entertaining reference for school students with a chapter on Greek legends.

The battlefields are shot with expressive slow motion at times and eye-catching special effects compensate for the ill-written script. The dialogue hints at the values of the Greeks’ notorious democratic system, while the key narrative is focused on the Gods and their functions and powers. The mythological mood loses momentum, though, as the film tends to depict conversational banalities not fit for this genre.

It would be an understatement to say the film is focused, almost entirely on aesthetics using 3D graphics. While videogame fans will enjoy the experience, “Immortals” lacks depth and storytelling for audiences looking for something more magical.

“Immortals” is on for another week in Doha’s theatres. The 110-minute film is not suitable for a young audience due to scenes of graphic violence.