Though there is no limit to human creativity, returning to the stories told by our ancestors always holds appeal. Fiction takes on a new depth and meaning after it’s been around long enough. Modern takes on ancient myths struggle to capture the weight of the old tales. Visionary director Tarsem Singh Dhandwar’s 2011 attempt,Immortals, blends multiple stories into a stylish new narrative.
Dhandwar, often credited as Tarsem or Tarsem Singh, is one of the most unique filmmakers of recent memory. His2000 sci-fi thrillerThe Cellmakes very little sense, but its visuals still capture the audience’s attention. His 2006 follow-up,The Fall,was praised for its unusual storytelling and staggering imagination. Tarsem’s work throughout the 2010s was less original, withSnow WhiteretreadMirror Mirrorand dull sci-fi disappointmentSelf/lessunder his belt.Immortalsrepresents a visionary’s first steps into mainstream filmmaking, with fascinating results.
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What isImmortalsabout?
Immortalsbegins in the aftermath of the Titanomachy. The Titans, all-powerful descendants of the primordial creators, bore twelve children who wouldbecome the Olympian gods. The new deities unseat their parents and trap them under a mountain called Tartarus. During the battle, the gods lost an impossibly powerful weapon called the Epirus Bow. The Epirus Bow can kill any mortal, monster, or god. It’s also the only item that can free the Titans from their mountain prison. A mad king named Hyperion wants to release the Titans and kill everyone, and he’s captured an oracle named Phaedra to use her prophetic dreams as guidance.
Enter Theseus, a young soldier who lives as an outcast due to his missing father. After years of training from a mysterious old man, Theseus watches helplessly as Hyperion’s men destroy his village and kill his mom. Theseus is enslaved and forced to work in a salt mine. Though the gods want to help humanity resist the tyranny of Hyperion, theyare forbidden by Zeus. Luckily, Theseus is held captive by Phaedra’s side. The oracle sees a vision that convinces her that Theseus is the chosen one. After provoking a riot, the duo escapes bondage and plans an assault on Hyperion’s stronghold. As Theseus buries his mother, he discovers the Epirus Bow. With the gods on his side, Theseus must use the most powerful weapon on Earth to defeat Hyperion and set his people free. It’s an epic battle with the fate of the world at stake.
What isImmortalsbased on?
Immortalsisn’t a direct adaptation of any onestory from Greek myth. It borrows heavily from three primary sources. The Titanomachy provides most of the backstory, though some key details are changed. Hyperion, for example, is a Titan in the original myth. The character that Hyperion became was inspired by King Minos, who plays a large part in the tale of Theseus and the Minotaur. That story is repurposed into several action scenes throughout the film, primarily with Hyperion’s chief guard, the Beast. Finally, elements of Theseus’s story are borrowed from the Heraclids. By mixing and matching mythological traits, Tarsem builds a fun pastiche that feels like all of them while providing some surprises.
Narratively,Immortalstakesinspiration from Greek mythology, but the film’s visual style has a similar idea. The action set pieces ofImmortalsare rendered in a broad, impactful style that evokes Renaissance art. Tarsem modernizes the ancient art that inspired him. It uses the CGI technology of the 2010s to make those classic stories and paintings feel as powerful as they did when ancient humans first encountered them. When the film came out, critics and fans compared it to the poorly-received remake ofClash of the Titans. It’s an apt comparison since both films borrow from the same sources. WhileTitansis a more faithful adaptation,Immortalsbreaks the rules to deliver the feeling of ancient myth.
How doesImmortalsend?
After Theseus and Phaedra escape captivity, they swiftly fall in love and have sex. The oracle’s gift of prophecy only applies to virgins, so Phaedra has lost her ability to see the future. Tragically, Theseus and Phaedra fall into a trap, allowing Hyperion to seize the bow. Ares saves Theseus’s life, but Zeusslays the God of Warfor interfering. Zeus explains that he is Theseus’s father and the old man who taught him to fight. Theseus leads the Hellenic resistance army against Hyperion’s forces. Hyperion destroys the mountain that trapped the Titans, unleashing them onto the world. The gods fight the Titans while Theseus battles Hyperion. Only Zeus and Poseidon survive, returning to Olympus with the promise of watching over humanity. Theseus kills Hyperion before succumbing to a fatal wound. Theseus is hailed as a hero. When Phaedra gives birth to his son, Acamas,Zeus returns in the guiseof the old man to inform the infant that he’ll continue his father’s fight against evil.
Immortalsisn’t the brightest film ever made. Like most of Tarsem’s work, it’s afeast for the eyesmore than for the mind. It captures the epic nature of the Greek tales it borrows through its unique action scenes and simple storytelling. Fans of mythological fantasy action can’t go wrong withImmortals. There aren’t many films like it.
