Could've been one of Disney's best, but ends up problematic

Rating: 5/10 (1 February 2013)

I am a person who really enjoys Disney films, despite my age. (I'm 20.) Some people say that Hercules was the film that killed people's interest in animated Disney films after Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame came out. I personally believe that it was a decent film. However, I think it could've turned out to be one of their best movies. It had the story to do it, and it also had a very funny, plus popular villain in Hades. It just turned out to be very problematic.
First off, I think the way the story is told is very odd. You have 5 women, who are known as "The Muses". They basically tell the beginning of the film in song, introduce us to Hades, and you see them appear during the movie. You see them have a song when Hercules is becoming popular, when Hercules' love interest, Meg, is trying to decide whether she's in love or not, and at the end of the film after Hercules stopped Hades. They act very surprised each time they appear. "Oh my god, Hercules is becoming popular! Oh wow, he stopped Hades!" I think if the Muses weren't telling the story, and it was told without continuing narration, this film would be considered a classic.
I also have a problem with the transitions. At one point, the film is trying to be a comedy, and the other, it's dramatic. You can put them into a film, but you need it to transition well. It does not in this film. I think they were trying to be like Aladdin, but the transitions between comedy and drama worked in that film. It does not here.
This film is also like ancient Greece meets modern day Las Vegas. I mainly say that in the "Zero to Hero" song. You see all those flashing lights and lighting changes, and you see some modern-like products placed like "Herculade" and "Air-Herc". If I'm watching something that took place a very long time ago, I don't wanna see something similar to Gatorade. Sure, Aladdin had that too in the "Friend Like Me" song, but it makes sense because he has a magic genie. Here, it doesn't.
But the reason I think it's decent is because, like I said, it does have a great story to tell. It's just told very weirdly. I also like the comedy in it. The scene where Pain and Panic are getting a lot of Hercules merchandise is really funny.
Overall, this could've been a movie good enough to be considered one of Disney's best. It just had too many problems.