I know this one is coming a little late but here it is.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
What You Need to Know: The Immortals is the new action adventure film from director, Tarsem Singh. The story follows the Greek mythological hero, Theseus (played by future Superman, Henry Cavill), as he faces Hyperion (played by Mickey Rourke), an evil dictator seeking to conquer Greece. The film also features Frieda Pinto as the oracle Pheidra and Luke Evans as Zeus.
Technical Stuff: Tarsem Singh has an amazing talent at creating beautiful imagery in his films. Beginning with The Cell (2000) and followed by The Fall (2006), he has been inspired by paintings, and that is evident in The Immortals. Every scene is carefully framed to accentuate the awe and wonder of the environment as well as the scope of the story. While credit should be shared with Director of Photography, Brendan Galvin, a consistency in scope exists in Tarsem's work. The sets also share in amplifying the scale of this epic.
What You Need to Know: The Immortals is the new action adventure film from director, Tarsem Singh. The story follows the Greek mythological hero, Theseus (played by future Superman, Henry Cavill), as he faces Hyperion (played by Mickey Rourke), an evil dictator seeking to conquer Greece. The film also features Frieda Pinto as the oracle Pheidra and Luke Evans as Zeus.
Technical Stuff: Tarsem Singh has an amazing talent at creating beautiful imagery in his films. Beginning with The Cell (2000) and followed by The Fall (2006), he has been inspired by paintings, and that is evident in The Immortals. Every scene is carefully framed to accentuate the awe and wonder of the environment as well as the scope of the story. While credit should be shared with Director of Photography, Brendan Galvin, a consistency in scope exists in Tarsem's work. The sets also share in amplifying the scale of this epic.
One of Tarsem's mainstays on his crew is costume designer, Eiko Ishioka. Her costume designs are awe-inspiring and exotic. While working within the constricts of the time period, certain costumes allow for character defining traits. For example, while Hyperion's army are all wearing an identical featureless mask modeled after Hyperion's own, his generals have added more to set themselves apart such as the Beast's bull head helm.
I am not a fan of 3D. 9 times out of 10 I will advise against choosing the 3D option, and more often than not that 10th option is animated. Most of the time, it is added as an after thought. Very few live-action films truly utilize it to its fullest potential. The Immortals is not one of these films. Despite being a post-converted film, Tarsem Singh's style of layered compositions and the incredible depth in his framing allows for the 3D to actually be a credible option for your viewing pleasure.
As for the story, this is where the film falls a little short. It is a well told story with interesting turns. However, as was the case with The Fall, story and pacing fall second to the aesthetic. While one can argue film is a visual medium and should thus look good, it also a narrative medium. The pacing suffers in part to the slow motion fight scenes popularized in 300. While Zack Snyder used it well to slow the adrenaline filled fight sequences, Tarsem's use slows down an already plodding pace. There are moments where it is successful. The primary example of this is the gods' fight sequences as it separates them from the human world and their way of fighting.
In Summary: If you are looking for an action movie along the lines of 300, you will not be utterly disappointed. However, it is a different beast. While 300 takes you to war, the Immortals is a struggle. The pacing is different. While I cite it as a fault, I don't think it should be reason to not watch the film. It is a truly well made film. The acting is wonderful. This film gives me confidence in Cavill's ability to play Clark Kent/Superman. The aesthetic is beautiful, and not often seen in films not made by Guillermo del Toro. Even if you wait until home release, you should watch this film!
In Summary: If you are looking for an action movie along the lines of 300, you will not be utterly disappointed. However, it is a different beast. While 300 takes you to war, the Immortals is a struggle. The pacing is different. While I cite it as a fault, I don't think it should be reason to not watch the film. It is a truly well made film. The acting is wonderful. This film gives me confidence in Cavill's ability to play Clark Kent/Superman. The aesthetic is beautiful, and not often seen in films not made by Guillermo del Toro. Even if you wait until home release, you should watch this film!
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