Iffy for 17+
Impressive visuals can't save brutally awful screenplay.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Immortals is an action/fantasy movie filled with tons of fighting, violence, and blood -- all rendered even more visceral and intense in 3-D. The movie's impressive visuals and costume design are notable, but they're overshadowed by the violence, which is very, very strong, especially once the gods get involved. There's slow-motion bashing of skulls -- several at a time, with flying brain, bone, and blood -- and three young women are the victims of torture, though that particular act isn't shown onscreen (the aftermath is). There's one sex act between the hero and the heroine, with kissing and some nudity. Other movies in this genre, like 300, have been popular, and kids may want to see this, too. But it should only be for the most mature teens.
- Families can talk about the movie's extreme violence. How does it compare to what you've seen in other action movies? In horror movies? What kind of movie violence has the most impact?
- Do you think the filmmakers intended audiences to get a particular message from watching this movie? If so, what would it be?
- If you were born into a society like this, where fighting is the solution to every problem, what would you do? How would you try to live your life?
The good stuff
-
Messages: The entire movie is about fighting and war. One character speaks of the wisdom of knowing when to fight, but according to this movie, the answer is "all the time."
-
Role models: Theseus is something of a role model in that he's brave and strong and he's a leader, but he also never really learns anything or grows over the course of the story, and he spends most of his time fighting.
What to watch for
-
Violence: The movie starts out with heavy fantasy violence, including sword fighting, stabbing, punching, kicking, and getting pierced with flying arrows. A priest is burned alive, and a man's private parts are smashed with a giant mallet. Then, when the gods get involved, the slayings escalate, including bashed, exploding heads with chunks of skull, brain, and blood flying in all directions -- in slow motion, and in 3-D. Also, three young women are beaten and tortured off screen; viewers see the results, with the women covered in blood and writhing in pain. A mother's throat is cut in front of her son, and a monk cuts off his own tongue in order not to reveal a secret.
-
Sex: A sex scene with partial female nudity: Characters kiss, and the man is shirtless, already in bed. Then the woman drops her clothes, and her bottom is visible (close-up). After she lies down, a breast is visible, but in shadow. Another woman appears somewhat naked but covered in makeup, and there's some strong innuendo, including banter surrounding the Oracle's virginity.
-
Language: One use of "bastard" and a few uses of "whore."
-
Consumerism: Not an issue
-
Drinking, drugs and smoking: Not an issue
Fan Reviews provided by
2
Immortals: C- by MattH306
The action scenes did not make up for the awful script and puzzling storyline.
4
Pretty but... by rac00n
Immortals is full of luscious eye candy--the entire cast seems to be perfectly sculpted from marble. The costumes and action sequences are also quite stunning. However, like many of Tarsem's movies, the story is purely superficial and seems to lack the care and attention to detail that directors like Zack Snyder, Peter Jackson, and Bryan Singer imbed in their creations. Also, the movie manages to mangle mythology in a way that is completely annoying to anyone that has studied basic Greek Mythology. And finally the mix of British accents and American accents quickly snaps the viewer back into reality, leaving them wishing that they had been able to spend more time in such a pretty world. Immortals had potential...too bad it was helmed by such a misguided leader.
Go for the visuals but don't expect too much else.
4
Entertaining by rseitz
First of all, on an entertainment basis, the movie was pretty good. The picture was filmed in a way that made it look really cool, lots of action and blood. So most guys are going to like it. For me, I thought the acting was great but it is missing more character detail. The film did not allow you to get caught up in the emotions that we are supposed to be moved by because it did not allow us time to "love" the characters. It felt rushed in a way that I felt something was missing. You know when you watched Gladiator or even 300, you got to know the characters in a way that got you really cheering for them, or feeling their pain and struggles. You were suppose to get that from Theseus but there was just no time for it. Overall, I'd say go if you want to watch a really cool action and it is not a very long movie so quick and dirty entertainment awaits.
2
Immortals OH NO DON'T GO!!! by usatown
If you had plans to see this don't ! (Back that truck up!)Movie was slow plot was terrible. Acting was just not there it was bla...bla..bla.You've been warned. :)
3
movie sucked for me! by Movie_Rater4life
The movie was okay, the acting was good, I personally thought it was gross, and that I'd baisically think that this would mainly be entertaining for males who like fighting. I like fighting movies myself, but for some reason this one didn't cut it. I actually pretty much hated the movie, mainly because it was extremely sexist, and was pretty much boring for me, so I fell asleep. I wished they used the magcal bow more often! I'd reccomend you to save your money and watch it in the dollar-theater instead.
5
Great Immortals! by Mousedancing
Excellent movie! They did a great job with the story and we really liked the way they depicted the gods. Great acting all round, and the fight scenes were awesome!
5
Pretty Great Movie by theoldbear
It was much better than I expected...The interplay of the gods with the humans was quite interesting, I believe the director did 300. There seemed to be a line that made me think of the size of the entrance " making their numbers count for nothing". Not really for younger viewers.
3
What Immortals - No one was immortal by johnf45
The way the gods were depicted was a little strange. And what's up with the wierd hedresses most of them wore. The Titans were not titans, more like a bunch of crazed monkeys running around. How did so many of them fit into that small cage.
I expected more of the movie. The whole theme was a little understated.
4
Masterful...Extravagant...Ageless.... by Alon Patterson
Within the domain of fantasy films, this one is destined to be immortal. From the first frame to the last it's so engaging as to be almost hypnotic. This is one of those movies one could see again and again, enjoying a different experience each time. Obviously, it's a guy's film, no disputing that fact. Blood and violence are spread generously throughout the story but that "story" is what makes it all so much better than expected. It stops just short of being a cinematic masterpiece. This isn't meant as a criticism though. If you enjoyed 300, this one will satisfy you and then some. It's worth the price of today's movie tickets, which is saying something in itself. Leave the little guys home, otherwise you may scar them for life. See it. You won't be disappointed.
3
When Compared to "300", Immortals comes in at about 150. by remav
One has to ignore a LOT of things about this movie to rate it a Must Go. My guess is that there was a lot left on the cutting room floor to keep it from running long, and this Ieft me feeling that I only saw the "Cliffs Notes" of the story. There are no sub plots & whatever character development the original story contained for the side-kick & supporting actors... well, it all got kicked to the side.
The choice of wardrobe for the gods was anything but hetero & reminded me of David Bowie when at his androgynous outlandish best. It's a good thing Athena had Zeus because I don't believe any of the other boy-gods looked up to the task. It left a weird stage where these cherub-ish immortals inflicted over the top gore on their enemies with every slap.
There are amazing scenes & sound that almost carried my rating to a "Go", but if you have a good home theater this a $.99 rental not worth a $9 theater ticket. ...and if you don't have a good home theater skip it all together.