The Legend of Hercules

The Legend of Hercules is a 2014 American 3D action fantasy film directed by Renny Harlin, written by Daniel Giat and Sean Hood, and starring Kellan Lutz, Gaia Weiss, Scott Adkins, Roxanne McKee, and Liam Garrigan. It was distributed by Lionsgate and released January 10, 2014, six months before another Hollywood-studio Hercules film, Paramount Pictures' and MGM's co-production Hercules. The Legend of Hercules was a box-office bomb and received universally negative reviews, unlike Hercules, which was a financial success and opened to far stronger reviews. Plot In 1200 BC ancient Greece, King Amphitryon of Tiryns is conquering kingdoms in his thirst for more power, which disgusts his wife, Queen Alcmene. She prays to Hera for guidance, and Hera's husband Zeus impregnates Alcmene with the savior of her people, a demi-god son to be named Hercules. Amphitryon names his new "son" Alcides, though Alcmene secretly acknowledges his true name as Hercules. Twenty years later, Prince Alcides (Hercules) is the lover of Princess Hebe of Crete. Hercules and his older brother, Prince Iphicles, are attacked by a unusually strong Nemean lion, which Hercules strangles to death. Iphicles takes the credit at a royal banquet, but Hebe sees right through this lie. At the banquet Amphitryon announces the engagement of Hebe and Iphicles, while Hercules is sent away to a military campaign in Egypt. Alcmene tells him of his true lineage and that his name is Hercules, not Alcides. Hercules joins the command of Captain Sotiris in the Egyptian desert; their small company faces an ambush by Amphitryon meant to eliminate Hercules, and only Alcides and Sotiris survive. Hercules uses his gods-given name to conceal his identity as the prince. The two are sold off as slaves to Lucius, a promoter of gladiator style fights, where they excel. Hercules defeats six previously-undefeated gladiators in an arena battle in Greece, which motivates members of Amphitryon's army to desert it and join Hercules and Sotiris, beginning a fight against Amphitryon's campaign of tyranny. Amphitryon is forced to hire foreign mercenaries as a result. When Alcides does not return as promised, Alcmene and Hebe assume he is dead. When Alcmene seeks guidance from Hera, Amphitryon discovers her and learns the truth of Hercules' parentage and that he is fated to overthrow him. Amphitryon stabs Alcmene for her infidelity with her own dagger, which he hides as a suicide.