| Director | Brett Ratner |
|---|---|
| Genre | action film, fantasy film, sword-and-sandal film |
| Runtime | 98 min |
| Country | United States |
| Budget | $100 million |
| Box office | $244.8 million |
Hercules leads a band of mercenaries composed of king-turned-prophet Amphiaraus of Argos, thief Autolycus of Sparta, mute and feral barbarian Tydeus of Thebes, Amazon archer Atalanta of Scythia, and storyteller and nephew to Hercules, Iolaus of Athens. Hercules is said to be the demigod son of Zeus, who completed the legendary Twelve Labors after being betrayed by Hera, who drove him insane and caused him to murder his wife and children during a visit to King Eurystheus. It remains unclear whether Hercules is truly the son of Zeus and many are skeptical of the claim as well as of the stories of his Twelve Labors. Despite this, Hercules displays unusual inhuman strength and nigh-unmatched skill in combat as well as a potent healing factor. He is also frequently haunted by the memory of the deaths of loved ones as well as visions of Cerberus.
On the Macedonian Coast in Northern Greece in 358 BC, Hercules and his team are approached by Ergenia. Her father King Cotys wants Hercules to train the armies of Thrace to defend the kingdom from bloodthirsty warlord/sorcerer Rhesus. Hercules accepts after being offered his weight in gold and the band is welcomed to Thrace by Cotys and General Sitacles, leader of the Thracian army. When Rhesus reaches Central Thrace, Cotys insists that Hercules lead the army into battle to defend the Bessi tribe there despite Hercules's objections and the army's lack of training. However, they are too late as Rhesus' supposed sorcery has turned the Bessi against the Thracians. After the Bessi are defeated following a long and disastrous battle which results in at least half the Thracian forces being killed, Hercules and his allies properly train the army. When the training is complete, Hercules and Sitacles confront Rhesus' army before Mount Asticus. After an arduous battle, Hercules' side wins.
Rhesus is taken back to Thrace as a prisoner, where he is publicly humiliated. Taking pity, Hercules stops the townsfolk from throwing more objects at him. When Hercules mentions Rhesus' actions of burning down villages, Rhesus tells him it was not him or his army that committed those atrocities.
Later in the palace hall, Rhesus is chained up and left on display. Noticing that Ergenia has taken pity on him, Hercules confronts her and finds out Rhesus was telling the truth. He was merely retaliating against Cotys' attempts to expand his kingdom. Ergenia does not agree with Cotys's methods, but goes along out of fear as her cruel father already poisoned her husband, the previous king. Furthermore, Cotys threatens his grandson Arius, the true heir to the throne.
After receiving their reward, the mercenaries are ready to leave, but Hercules decides to stay behind and stop Cotys. All but Autolycus choose to follow him. However, they are overpowered and captured by Sitacles and his men.
While chained, Hercules is confronted by King Eurystheus, who is in league with Cotys. Eurystheus reveals that he drugged Hercules the night his family died, viewing him as a threat to his power. Hercules' family was actually killed by three black wolves sent by Eurystheus, resulting in Hercules' constant hallucinations of Cerberus. When Cotys orders Ergenia to be executed for her betrayal, Hercules is encouraged by Amphiaraus to believe in himself. In a show of superhuman strength, Hercules breaks free of his chains, saving Ergenia and defeating the wolves single-handedly. Hercules releases the prisoners, including Rhesus, and then confronts Eurystheus, killing him and avenging his family. However, he is ambushed by Sitacles who is then stabbed to death by Iolaus.
Outside, Hercules and his forces battle Cotys' army. Arius is taken hostage, but rescued by Autolycus who has decided to return to help his friends. In the ensuing battle, Tydeus is mortally wounded while protecting Arius, but fights on, slaughtering numerous soldiers until he falls and dies in Hercules's arms, but not before saying Hercules's name. Again using inhuman strength, Hercules pushes a massive statue of Hera from its foundations and uses it to crush Cotys and many of his soldiers.
Impressed by this feat, the surviving soldiers bow to Hercules, recognizing him as a demigod and the son of Zeus as lightning strikes in the background. Arius takes the throne with Ergenia at his side.