Today’s quick review: Hercules. Robbed of his godhood as a baby, Hercules, the son of Zeus and Hera, grows up on Earth as a mortal, an outcast due to his enormous strength. As a young man, he learns of his true parentage and sets out to reclaim his place as a god by becoming a hero. But Hades needs Hercules out of the way so can conquer Olympus, and he sends a cavalcade of monsters against the hero in the hope of bringing him down.
Hercules is an animated comedy adventure from Disney. Hercules retells the Greek myth of Hercules with a modified plot, a family-friendly tone, and a slew of modern jokes. The movie sports the typical Disney quality: strong animation, vivid voice acting, memorable songs, and sharp writing. However, a loose plot and an odd visual style place it a notch below Disney’s best.
Hercules’ hidden strength is its humor. In addition to the usual assortment of kid-friendly jokes and slapstick, Hercules is packed with jokes and references that only an adult would catch. The movie delights in dropping modern humor into Ancient Greece, and it slips in quite a few allusions to Greek history and myth. The volume of these jokes is impressive, and they help keep the movie interesting and surprising throughout.
As far as its visuals go, Hercules keeps up Disney’s tradition of smooth, high-quality animation. But Hercules has a more cartoonish style than usual, with exaggerated character designs, cartoon-style sight gags, and rubbery motion. Coupled with the movie’s present-day humor and original plot, the animation cements Hercules as a loose, fun adaptation rather than a faithful one. As such, the movie misses out on the beauty of some of Disney’s better works.
Watch Hercules when you are in the mood for a fun, smart Disney comedy. Your enjoyment of the movie will depend on how much you get out of its stylistic choices and sense of humor, but the raw quality is there, barring some slight deficiencies. Skip it if you are looking for a masterpiece or a straight adaptation of the myth.
7.2 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for good humor and music held back somewhat by its goofy tone.