Thin acting, inconsistent plot, good animation

Rating: 5/10 (24 May 1999)

The animation is up to full Disney standards, but the writers and director need to be upbraided for not following through. The plot departs critically from Greek legend in most respects, but assumes that the viewer knows the legend in enough detail to recognize the Seven Labours. The music and the one-liners were excellent, but they merely made the flick worth watching -- they couldn't make up for the criminal lack of central action. James Woods did an excellent job as Hades, and Danny DeVito did credit to Phil, but the other voices needed more motivation from the director. Hercules came off as a clone of Aladdin between scenes.
When a writer violates The World As We Know It (real or legendary), the audience has reason to expect proper remuneration for our suspension of belief. This is true with Science Fiction, superheroes, or slapstick. In this coin, "Hercules" returns about ten cents on the dollar. There is rarely later justification for most of the changes. The Fates, for instance, could have been left complex and ominous instead of a frivolous interjection.
Finally, I was personally and generally offended by the rotten parent-child development in the movie. A "family movie" shouldn't show such frivolous disregard for any sort of family stability. I can hear someone crying "But we're dealing with Greek Gods here, by Jupiter!". No, we aren't: Herc's biological parents are shown as a stable couple in Olympus. Once Herc discovers he's not a regular mortal, he drops his adoptive parents out of the movie (except for a walk-on appearance in the final scene), and goes ladder-climbing after the parents who give him little to no guidance. I am a Disney fan, a step-child, and an adoptive parent myself -- and I was offended by the lack of treatment in the name of entertaining my kids.