This a prequel to the popular television series. In it a young Hercules, wanting to impress Zeus tries to recover something that his half-brother Ares stole from Zeus. But when his friend Iolaus causes him to lose it, he is more depressed. His mother, Alcmene urges him to go to an academy for warriors led by a centaur, Cheiron. Iolaus is also there and they also meet Jason, heir to the throne of Corinth. When Jason learns that his father is ill, Hercules suggest that they seek out the Golden Fleece cause it might save his father. However, Ares is doing everything he can to stop them.
Starring:
Ian Bohen, Dean O'Gorman, Chris Conrad, Johna Stewart-Bowden, Kevin Smith, Meighan Desmond, Nathaniel Lees, Rachel Blakely
Related / Spin Off
Young Hercules (the series)
Xena Warrior Princess
Hercules Legendary Journeys
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RG's Thoughts:
Been awhile since I watched this movie, but I think it was a great start to a very good show. Less campy than the series ended up being, it laid on the drama a little thicker. There was also more subtext behind the gods interactions as well. Left you wondering what was going on with Aries and Discord.
Ian Bohen was great as Hercules, but he turned down the chance to continue the role in the series. Normally a recast like this would make you feel a real disconnect between the two projects and while there is a bit of that, the overall feel of the movie is so different from the series that it manages not to make that big of a difference.
The series doesn't pick up where this leaves off, in fact it reboots to Hercules' arrival at the academy. So you can watch one without the other, but a fan of this universe will want to include it.
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