Hercules, Putin, and the Heroic Body on Screen in 2014

This chapter places the two recent 2014 Hercules films, The Legend of Hercules and Hercules , including the lesser known “mockbuster” Hercules Reborn (2014), in dialogue with the Hercules display of Russian president Vladimir Putin. It focuses particularly on aesthetic elements: the visual presentation of their central figure – his costume, his accoutrements, and the type of action shots that showcase the heroic body – and the settings against which the heroic action occurs. The chapter shows more broadly the importance of examining the place of Hercules and classical mythology in modern political discourse.