Rating: 
Summary: On what myth did Disney base this movie?
Review: This movie doesn't measure up to the rest of the Disney repertoire. It purports to be Disney's animated re-telling of a Greek myth. I can't, for the life of me, decide which myth the movie is trying to re-tell. Pegasus figures prominently in the movie, so the Bellerophon and Perseus myths are strong candidates. Then again, the hero of the movie descends into the underworld to rescue his beloved, so maybe it's the Orpheus myth. But then there's the confusing matter of the movie's title. Hercules was a figure in Roman mythology -- every other character in film has a Greek name. I'd like to think the film makers made an honest mistake and meant Heracles, Hercules's Greek counterpart. However, in this movie, Hera is the hero's loving mother instead of his ruthless and relentless tormentor . . .so that rules out the Heracles myth.All sarcasm aside, this film is just barely recognizable as an adaptation of the Heracles myth. Apart from that, the film is enjoyable. The animation is spectacular. The music (and singing) is quite good. James Woods's Hades is nothing short of hilarious. From a parental perspective, I let my preschooler watch this (he had a blast!), but I took care to introduce him to the more traditional versions of the Greek myths as well.
Rating: 
Summary: Amusing little movie
Review: Ok, its not anywhere close to the original tale of Hercules, and the anitmation is kind of odd, but who cares? this is a funny movie. The little jokes that kids wouldn't get crack me up, and so what if its not The Lion King or one of the other great Disney movies. Its fun, and thats about all i care about when I watch a movie.
Rating:
Summary: Great Kids Movie
Review: This and Jimmy Neutron are my 3 year old's favorite movie. Typically, he doesn't like bad guys that are too scary. Hades, played by James Woods is great and mixes funny jokes in with his evil ways very well. The music is well done and the story is appropriate for kids of all ages. In our house we are sensitive as to whether a "G" movie is actually "G". This one is and it is one of Disney's best kid's movies in the past decade.
Rating:
Summary: The more I watch it, the more I like it!
Review: I have to admit that when I first saw Disney's "Hercules" I was definitely NOT IMPRESSED. If I had written this review the evening after that first viewing I would probably have rated this movie at about 2 or maybe 3 stars -- like many of the other reviews listed for this movie on Amazon.com. In the intervening three years, however, I've come to thoroughly enjoy this animated feature. Why? Well, I'll tell you... 1) The story line is good enough...not outstanding, but good enough. 2) There's a really good bad guy (Hades) that you love to hate. He's so evil, self-centered, and conniving that you actually feel good detesting him. He's a classic Disney villain...cut from the same kind of evil character mold as 101 Dalmations' Cruella (animated and real-life). 3) The supporting characters "Panic" and "Pain," which I thought were only mildly annoying when I first watched the show, have really grown on me. They provide great comic relief. These first three points are enough to make this a 4-star movie, but the following point moves this video to 5 stars for me... 4) The clincher for me is that the music is awesome. Again, it takes some listening to in order to catch the vision of it. It's got a strong traditional gospel strain mixed with broadway chorus line pieces like songs from shows such as "Little Shop of Horrors," etc. I especially like the song that Megura sings, "I won't say I'm in love." Sure there's a strong sentimentality factor to the show, but that's not at all unusual for animated Disney features. When all is said and done I think that's a plus! If you look at my other reviews (e.g., Tarzan, Fox and the Hound) you'll see that I do not believe that all Disney animated features are 5-star affairs. Once you give this one a fair chance though, you may come to enjoy it as much as I do. Give this movie a second and third chance -- maybe after the children are in bed, and see if it grows on you too. I think it's worth 5 stars, and well worth the price! Alan Holyoak
Rating:
Summary: Competent and enjoyable
Review: Hercules is rarely grouped with Disney's more popular movies of the 90's such as The Lion King, Beauty And The Beast and Aladdin, but that doesn't mean it's expendable. As Disney films go this one is pretty good fun, and is actually the favourite of several of my friends in college. The story is simple enough: Hercules is stolen from Mount Olympia and is turned human, but manages to maintain his godlike strength. Handed down to an orphan family he is deemed a misfit because of his strength and starts training with satyr Phil (DeVito) to become a real hero and return to his rightful home. Of course, things aren't that easy, with Hades (Woods) and true love in the form of feisty Meg getting in the way of our hero's path. Many people have complained that Hercules doesn't really incorporate the reality of the Greek myth, which is true for the most part, but the kind of self-knowing sidenotes to the overblown myths and legends of Greek history make the movie seem much fresher than if they'd rigidly stuck to a storyline. In fact, adults jokes about Oedipus Rex, where Hercules jokes that he thought he had problems with his family, is hilarious and shouldn't have been dispensed with for the world. Although at times it can seem like Hercules tries to hard to get in a little bit of every Greek legend of the time - Orpheus, Theseus and of course Hercules are all there - it does so in a bright and enjoyable way. The supporting actors, as is usual for all Disney movies, remain the most memorable. James Woods makes a great villain, and Danny DeVito is likewise great value as Phil. Plus, following in a recent tradition, lead girl Meg is more than just a pretty face but an actual character, spouting more than a bit of feminism, making her a lot more interesting than, say, Cinderella. However, whilst there's nothing really implicitely wrong here, Hercules fails to stand out as a classic of the Disney canon. The songs are bland (sung here by Ricky Martin) and unimaginative and although it seems originally like Hercules was going to be set up as a big strong nerd, he quickly turns into the kind of boring hero that you least wanted to see. The film also seems too short, and Hercules' discovery that he is in fact adopted is handled in a surprisingly slapdash manner for what is quite a controversial subject (at least for Disney). Still, they're only small quibbles and Hercules really is very good, just no classic.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Movie, but I think it should be PG.
Review: Hercules is a very good comedy. But I think they should re-rate this movie PG for animated violence. Kids might get scared if they see this movie. I don't know why Black Cauldren is PG. It's not even scary.
Rating:
Summary: A standard Disney film outdoes itself with flying colors!
Review: This is Disney's attempt at diving into Greek mythology and the legendary muscleman, Hercules, who-- "Wait! Don't you mean Herakles? Hercules is Roman!" ...So anyway, he gets kidnapped from his parents, Zeus and Hera, by the Lord of the Underworld, Hades, out of fear that he will someday spoil his plans for taking over Mt. Olymp-- "WHAT THE HECK?! His parents were Zeus and Alcheme, a mortal! And HERA was the villain! Hades never wanted to take over Greece! What the--" Okay, okay. If you have a serious affliction with Greek myths and/ or dedicate your life to studying them, DO NOT see this film! If you are a fan of Disney's comedies, have children, and love musicals, this film is for you! I have read reviews by many people who hated this movie because of the complete disrespect for Greek myths and some even considered the songs to be lousy. What do you expect from an animated family adaption of Hercules directed by Ron Clements and John Musker from The Little Mermaid and Aladdin? They knew that the real story wasn't fit for kids, so they altered almost everything about the tale and added groovy gospel tunes sung by five (not nine!) Muses, who narrate the story. But what resulted was a delightful, hilarious romp through an idealized fantasy world with down-to-earth characters (most of them,anyway), and some of the songs aren't that bad, guys! Hercules' song "Go the Distance" is a comforting ballad, the hip sextet with Megara and the Muses is so upbeat that your adrenaline almost starts up, and most of the gospel songs are just as enjoyable. If only the lyrics were a bit wittier. So, as a person who likes the elements that Hercules offers, I enjoyed it. There are many clever in-jokes, Hades' character is a riot, and Megara is one of the most unique Disney heroines in ages! I DO have some problems: the sidekicks leave more to be desired and the animation isn't up to par with, say, Beauty and the Beast. But overall, a funny, hip flick to enjoy when you're feeling a bit loose and collected, and one great movie to watch with your son. You'll have to tell him the real myth, though, and explain to him what it takes to be a true hero.
Rating:
Summary: The World's First Super Hero
Review: Disney adds a new twist to the story of the mythological strongman in the funny animated feature "Hercules". Hercules (Tate Donovan), the son of Zeus, is kidnapped and turned mortal by the sinister god Hades (James Woods). Now, with his amazing strength and the help from his fly stallion Pegasus and trainer Phil (Danny DeVito), Hercules journeys to regain his place among the Gods of Olympus. Though not as memorable as previous Disney animated films, "Hercules" is a lighthearted fun-filled fantasy adventure. The story is fresh and funny, and the animation is stylish and colorful. The film contains some clever humor and amusing scenes including a thrilling battle between Hercules and the fierce hydra. James Woods shines as the voice of the sly Lord of the Underworld Hades and Susan Egan is amazing as Grecian beauty Meg. The voice cast also includes Bob Goldthwait, Matt Frewer, Paul Shaffer and Rip Torn. The animated tale is presented in its THX certified 1.66:1 widescreen format. The DVD contains a very detailed video transfer and a rich 5.1 Dolby Digital sound. Its supplemental material features "The Making of Hercules" featurette and a music video with Ricky Martin. Despite the lack of interesting extras, "Hercules" earns a "B-".
Rating:
Summary: A Modern Disney Classic.
Review: After the success of Pocahontas, Disney came out with a slew of Disney films based on the legendary Heros. After Pocahontas, Hercules was made. One thing that I like about this movie is that it is artistically different from all the others. It is very bold and bright. The voice casting is great, as well as the animation. The computer effects are also really good. The elements add up to a funny Disney film that is worth seeing.
Rating:
Summary: A great movie
Review: Disney did it again! This movie is wonderful. It is entertaining to kids and adults. The character Hades is supurb! A lot of reviews have said that this is a bad movie because it is inaccurrate. Why does this matter? It is a movie for kids and the real version of the story is very inappropritate for children. I think Disney did a wonderful job of making it a kids movie and telling the story appropriatly.
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