Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageHercules (1997)
Director: John Musker, Ron Clements
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
Ancient myth the Disney way, with all the incest, virgin-ravishing and animal cruelty merrily replaced by sound family values and a whole urnful of peppy 1990s pop references. It could easily seem crass, but it's hard to get all serious about a film that so revels in its own infectious humour, distributes gags to all ages, and displays great craft in art director Gerald Scarfe's angular integrated visual design. In short another benchmark achievement for the Aladdin team of Musker and Clements. As in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, the makers are clued-in enough to take a rise out of their conventional hero, and the grown-up Herc here is a likeable big lug, though not too smart - game enough to slay the Hydra, but not so savvy he can spot the machinations of honey-voiced siren Megara, who's secretly in league with Hades, the megalomaniac ruler of the Underworld. As voiced by Woods, this cigar-chomping super-bad guy remains the chief attraction for grown-ups, who'll also relish the gospelling divas of the none-too-Greek chorus, and the cheeky send-up of ancient Thebes' own merchandising industry. Littl'uns will go for DeVito's knockabout hero-training satyr.Author: TJ
Cast & crew
Director: John Musker, Ron Clements
Producer: Alice Dewey, John Musker, Ron Clements
Cast: Tate Donovan, Danny DeVito, James Woods, Rip Torn, Samantha Eggar, Hal Holbrook full cast
Genre(s): Children's
Duration: 93 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Has David Cronenberg turned tame?
Has director David Cronenberg veered too far from his radical and bloody roots with new film 'A Dangerous Method'?
The 10 worst date movies
Just in time for Valentine's Day, we present ten of the least romantic films ever made
Where to watch this year's Oscar-nominated films
Find out where to watch 2012's Oscar-nominated films in London cinemas
10 unlikely badboy biopics
Featuring Phil Collins, Jeremy Clarkson, Nick Clegg, David Starkey and a host of other unlikely subjects
Interview: Sean Durkin on 'Martha Marcy May Marlene'
The first-time director of the brilliant new thriller discusses religious cults and robot boxing
Pop-up cinema for Valentine's Day
Side-step romantic clichés with some alternative Valentine’s viewing
What do you think?
Post your review now