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Rating:  - Lighten up, live, and enjoy.
Some of my favorite Disney films are a somewhat inaccurate retelling of an old story. And so are yours. Think about it. Have you ever read how the original stories of Aladdin, The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast went? Most of the stories Disney retooled to be family friendly were simply not appropriate for children. Picking apart Hercules for inaccuracy simply because it doesn't have the luxury of being one of the accepted classics is hypocritical, nonsensical, and totally ignorant of its merits.
This particular film is one of my favorites in the series of Disney feature films, and I've been an avid lover of Greek mythology since I was very young. I knew the stories that were full of gore, murder and rape long before any child would be allowed to see those kinds of things in a movie, so I knew when I saw Hercules that, for example, Hercules dies, Nessus attempts to rape Hercules' wife (not Megara) and ultimately poisons Hercules with a mixture of his blood and semen, Hercules performs his famous twelve tasks after killing his wife and children out of insanity, Pegasus is born from the gorgon's severed neck, etc. Sure, it's different. But parents complained about the graphicness of the hydra fight. Expecting Disney to put this into a G-rated kids film would have been the height of stupidity when it came out and I was fourteen, and some grown adults are still making this complaint!
This film is ridiculously maligned even though I feel it's one of the best of the Disney animated films. It has unique animation, a quirky feel the likes of wouldn't be seen again until The Emperor's New Groove, an exquisite blend of comedy and drama, a lovable protagonist and a hilarious villain that steals the show. Don't believe for a minute the rantings and ravings of accuracy buffs-- this is a fantastic film that people of any age and acquaintance with Greek mythology can love, if they don't let themselves get caught up in elitisms.
Rating: - A clever, enjoyable and under-rated Disney classic
It was only a matter of time until Disney Studios put their own dinstinctive spin on that mythical God-like hero, Hercules. When I first saw it on VHS format, I instantly fell for it.
This animated film follows in the same spirit of my own personal favorite, "Aladdin" (no wonder why I like it), which blends dazzling animation, a clever story filled with satirical puns & in-jokes, toe-tapping showtunes, and engaging characters voiced by talented people.
But within all the jokes and gags is the essential message that our hero must learn: That true heroism comes not from wonderous feats, but from within your heart. We watch as Hercules (displaying God-like strength, but turned mortal, thanks to the under-handed doings of the slimy Hades) evolves from gawky, clumsy teenager into a true heroic figure under the tutelage of Philotetes ("call me Phil"). A diminutive Satyr (the most unlikely trainer of heroes!) with a short fuse, Phil is voiced appropriately by Danny DeVito. Tate Donovan voices the uncertain but ambitious Herk perfectly. His Godly father Zeus is given hearty, boisterous authority by veteran actor Rip Torn. Bobcat Goldthwait and Matt Frewer have fun voicing Hades' bumbling demonic minions, Pain & Panic. One of the big surprises among the characters is the leading lady, Meg. Disney, for a change, went against the "pretty-but-useless" damsel-in-distress by choosing a brassy, wisecracking heroine who pokes fun at damsels-in-distress. But the character who really steals the show is the hot-headed but jocular Hades, Lord of the Underworld, voiced with deliciously villainous glee by James Woods.
As with most Disney fare, "Hercules" is for the whole family. But be warned: Some scenes, such as Herk's battle with a head-sprouting Hydra monster and the equally monstrous Titans, may be too intense for little tykes.
However, there's so much to enjoy in this pun-filled take on the legendary hero that you'll most likely stayed glued to the set from start to finish.
Rating: - Disney's Diamond in the Rough
This movie is one of the best Disney movies I've ever seen. It is so funny, charming, and entertaining. This is a movie for the whole family, kids and adults. This movie often gets a bad wrap that it does not deserve. I admit, it is no Beauty and the Beast nor Hunchback of Notre Dame. But it has its own charm. The music is so catchy, and the characters and animation is so unique and different. I think kids don't like it as much because some of the humor is a little over their heads, but teens and adults are sure to enjoy it. And the critics keep knocking it because it didn't follow the Greek myth. But the Hunchback also didn't totally follow the storyline. Victor Hugo's novel is a much darker story. Phoebus and Esmerelda's relationship was not as sweet and romantic as Disney made it out to be. The same goes for The Little Mermaid and Pocahontas. If that's the basis for deciding if Hercules is a good movie or not, then someone might as well not like any of the other aformentioned movies. If the storyline of any of those movies was totally followed, then they definitely wouldn't be for kids to watch. On a final note, all I can say is give it a chance. You won't be disappointed!
Rating:  - Good Film
I saw this in my class while studying about Ancient Greece. I found it interesting to see everyone we learned about: the Muses, Zeus, Hera, Narciuss Heidis, the Gorgon Sisters, and of course, Hercules! I like how he calls Megara "Megan," when she said her 'friends' call her "Meg." This movies pretty good and will be great to watch if you'll ever have a Greek party!
Rating:  - Slow moving
This is a good movie, BUT it doesn't have the story line and action to keep a 3-year-old interested. It's very slow moving in parts and has lots of dark scenes with not much color. It also occasional breaks away to parts that have music but very few graphics and that causes a lost interest from the kids.
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