Hercules: The Legendary Journeys - Hercules and the Lost Kingdom (1994 TV Movie) User Reviews

the second outing of Sorbo as Hercules is better than the first

[movieman_kev · 7/10 · 2 October 2005]

This, the second of five TV movies that would lead up to the Hercules TV show, starts of with a giant coming to do battle with Hercules (Kevin Serbo). Afterwards, Herc is beckoned to help the people of the lost city of Troy escape the clutches of Hera, the queen of the Gods in the form of a water creature this time. So accompanied by Deianeira, a girl he saved from sacrifice to the Gods, despite her wishes, he goes off on a new quest to find the fabled kingdom. Even though I missed Michael Hurst as Iolaus in this one, I enjoyed seeing Robert Trebor (who would go onto the series later on) as the comic relief as Waylin the Slave. All in all, I found this film to be better than the first outing, but it's still not as good as the eventual show would become. Also In my previous review of "Hercules and the Amazon Women", I was extremely remiss in not mentioning the late Anthony Quinn as Zeus, well he's great in this as well as all the other Hercules telemovies.

My Grade: B+

"...a time of myth and legend..."

[utgard14 · 6/10 · 18 June 2014]

Hercules rescues a virgin named Deianeira from a cult. She tags along with him on his way to the lost city of Troy. Second of five TV movies that preceded the Hercules: The Legendary Journeys TV series. This one's possibly my favorite of them all. That's due to Renee O'Connor's extremely likable personality, charm, and comedic talent. She would, of course, go on to bigger things as Xena's sidekick Gabrielle in the Hercules spin-off. After this movie, Tawny Kitaen would play a character with the same name as O'Connor's character here. I don't believe they are intended to be the same character since there's no mention of this movie in the next one. The two actresses couldn't be more different, physically or otherwise. Whatever positive qualities Ms. Kitaen has, and I can think of two obvious ones, she is not as good an actress or comedienne as O'Connor. This is also the first appearance in the Hercules world of Robert Trebor, although playing a different role than the comic relief character Salmoneus that fans would come to either love or hate.

As with the other movies and the later TV series, this is a fun, colorful adventure shot on beautiful New Zealand locations. There's humor, drama, action, and some decent special effects for television. Nothing highbrow here but good old-fashioned escapism.

"There's a whole city waiting for my help, unfortunately it's a lost city which makes it harder to find." Actually it's not too bad if your in the right mood.

[poolandrews · 6/10 · 26 September 2005]

Hercules and the Lost Kingdom starts with a messenger (Alex Beasley) locating Hercules (Kevin Sorbo) & asking for his help to free the lost kingdom of Troy from the evil reign of the 'Queen of the Gods' & the evil Blue Priest (Nathaniel Lees). Hercules accepts & after some advice from his Father Zeus (Anthony Quinn) about how to find Troy he sets off on his quest. On his way Hercules saves a young woman named Deianerira (Renee O'Connor) from being sacrificed & takes her along with him, Hercules first task is to find Queen Omphale (Elizabeth Hawthorne) & a compass she has that will point the way to Troy. Hercules & Deianerira also have to face gangs of thugs, giant sea monsters & ninja's in purple capes & joke shop masks on the way to liberate the lost kingdom of Troy!

This American, New Zealand co-production was directed by Harley Cokeliss & is one of six feature length made for TV episode of the popular Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (1995 - 1999), well I think so anyway, it followed Hercules and the Amazon Women (1994) & preceded Hercules: The Legendary Journeys - Hercules and the Circle of Fire (1994) & I have no idea how this compares as I've not seen any of the other's or indeed any of the original TV series. The script by Christian Williams is good natured, light hearted fun, if you don't take it too seriously then quite a lot of fun can be had & even contains some half decent mildly amusing dialogue. It moves along at a nice pace although as a whole the story feels a little empty with Hercules not having much trouble finding Troy & not encountering much resistance once there. Having said that I tend to think it's squarely aimed at pre-teen children with very slapstick fights & comedy sound effect music, suits me down to the ground then... The character's are thin & undeveloped but then this isn't trying to win any Oscars is it? I would have liked a better bad guy as well, everyone likes a cool bad guy to hate & Hercules and the Lost Kingdom does itself no favours by not having one. Since this is made for TV it isn't going to have the production values of a Hollywood blockbuster, the cinematography is bland & unexciting, the effects are surprisingly decent especially a pretty good sea monster that doesn't get to do much unfortunately, the ply-wood sets & tea cloth costumes look a little on the cheap side though. The violence is as tame as it gets & there aren't many fights anyway. The acting is of not very high calibre as one would expect. Hercules and the Lost Kingdom is a perfectly entertaining & fun way to pass 90 odd minutes if your in the right mood & like this sort of medieval fantasy adventure stuff. Worth a watch for all ages.

Don't miss it

[Op_Prime · 21 February 2000]

Don't miss this tv-movie because it has it all. Great acting, great effects and fight scenes and it as well as a superb story. It is interesting to see Renee O'Connor (Deianeira) before becoming Gabrielle on Xena, and Robert Trebor (Waylin) before becoming Salmoneus. I'm glad I got the chance to see this on TNT because it was very good.

Looking for Troy

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 8 September 2023]

When a messenger from Troy meets Hercules (Kevin Sorbo) in a village, he learns that the man is the last of one hundred messengers sent by Troy to find Hercules. Hera has killed all the others along their journey. Then the man dies. Zeus (Anthony Quinn) tells his son that he needs a compass that belongs to a king to find Troy. Hercules heads to his kingdom and rescues the virgin Deianeira (Renee O'Connor) from a sacrifice to the god of the waters. She walks with him and soon Hercules learns that the king has died and Queen Omphale (Elizabeth Hawthorne) now rules the kingdom. Hercules uses the slave market to reach the queen and she gives the compass to him. Now they are able to reach Troy, where discoveries are made.

"Hercules: The Legendary Journeys - Hercules and the Lost Kingdom" (1994) is the great sequel of the first journey of Hercules with the Amazon Women. Yesterday I saw this entertaining film again, which is based on mythological gods, demigods, kings and queens and it has not aged. The strong Kevin Sorbo is tailored to be Hercules and his chemistry with Renee O'Connor is fantastic. Unfortunately, these Hercules' films have been only released on VHS in Brazil. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Hércules em Busca do Reino Perdido" ("Hercules in the Search of the Lost Kingdom")

See This Episode!

[XenaWP · 8/10 · 23 July 1999]

I really liked Hercules and the Lost Kingdom. It was a great story and kept me glued from the beginning to the end. It was also wonderful to see Renee O'Connor before she became Xena's best friend, Gabrielle. I think she did a wonderful job as Princess Deianeira. The effects were great also. There is a scene with Deianeira and her father that was really touching. I am glad that I got this video because I missed it when it was first shown on television. Get this video if you are a Hercules/Renee O'Connor fan.

HERCULES STORIES RE-HASHED

[larryanderson · 5/10 · 8 September 2021]

I watch some of these 1994 Hercules re-makes and found that they are just re-makes of the same stories that the Italians made in the early 1960s. Same soret of stories and same characters, especially the villains. I understand that these were directed at a younger TV audience but the ORIGINALS are still much better and certainly more believable. Watch the 1060s versions for some more believable entertainment.

Hercules showcases his power!

[OllieSuave-007 · 8/10 · 24 September 2014]

This is the second pilot TV movie that jump-started the "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" TV series, where Hercules (Kevin Sorbo) sets on a quest to find the lost city of Troy and end Hera's evil grip on the place. Joining Hercules on the mission is the Princess Deianeira (Renee O'Connor), whom Hercules rescued from being sacrificed to the river god.

The plot of the movie goes at a faster pace than the previous entry and showcased Hercules' powers more, pitting him against a giant and later against a horde of Hera's minions and city rascals. In addition to seeing the excitement of Hercules and Deianeria's adventures to the lost city, there are also spiritual elements in the movie, including the mysterious spirit being that has been following Deianeria. Also, as an added treat to the adventures, there is a thrilling sequence where Hercules and Deianeira try to escape after being eaten by a gigantic sea serpent.

Like the previous movie, the New Zealand countryside setting is refreshing and the costumes are colorful and vibrantly done. The music score by Joseph LoDuca is very upbeat and appealing and the acting is pretty spot-on, with some good chemistry between Sorbo and O'Connor and a good dose of humor.

The movie does drag a little towards the middle, but other than that, this is a fun TV movie.

Grade B+

An Action-Packed Mythological Journey

[alexandroskarvounis · 10/10 · 6 July 2023]

Hercules and the Lost Kingdom is a thrilling and action-packed film that takes viewers on an epic adventure through Greek mythology. Starring Kevin Sorbo as the legendary hero Hercules, the movie delivers an entertaining mix of mythology, battles, and heroic feats.

The film's visual effects and set designs transport audiences to a world of gods and monsters, creating a captivating atmosphere. The action sequences are well-executed, showcasing Hercules' strength and bravery as he battles formidable foes. Sorbo's portrayal of Hercules brings charisma and charm to the character, making him a relatable and likable hero.

While the plot may not be the most complex, Hercules and the Lost Kingdom is an enjoyable watch for fans of mythology and action-packed adventures. It offers a solid dose of entertainment and serves as a fitting continuation of the Hercules saga. Overall, this film is a decent choice for those seeking an exciting mythological journey with a touch of heroism.