Come to think of it, we’ve never really talked about any Disney animated movies on this blog, have we? The only Disney stuff I’ve talked about (that I can remember) have been Star Wars and Marvel. Unless we count Kingdom Hearts which barely counts.
So I’m gonna talk about one of my personal favorites: Hercules.
I’ve seen this movie about five times now, and every time has been enjoyed from start to end. The animation style is unique enough to stand out from the other Renaissance era Disney movies, the music is catchy as hell (my personal favorites being ‘I Am On My Way’ and ‘So You Want to be a Hero’) and the story is simple and fun, featuring the best Disney villain:
Hades.
James Earl Jones puts in a fantastic performance as Hades. He is effortlessly sinister, hilarious and completely charismatic all at once. Sure, he’s not the most effective when it comes to actually achieving his goals (though he does come close). He also has my favorite villain defeat in all of Disney.
I see defeat because it’s kind of impossible to kill a god.
He also plays a major role in the Kingdom Hearts games. As Olympus Coliseum shows up in every game, he shows up to mess with our heroes in ever iteration of the series. And to make it even better: James Earl Jones returns to voice him, bringing him to life again and again. It makes me endlessly happy to see my favorite Disney big-bad preserved so thoroughly in those games.
It’s a shame that his boss fight is such a pain in the ass if you’re unprepared.
Every other character is equally likable. Hercules is a simple character archetype, but he’s still plenty lovable and unique (and a significantly better person than the actual Hercules), and his trainer Phil is brought to life by Danny DeVito (I always forget that he’s a genuinely great actor) and Meg is a Disney damsel unlike any other, with her flirtatious and hard-to-get personality combined with a solid moral compass.
And a waist line that puts Barbie to shame. Seriously, where does this woman put her food?!
The relationship between Herc and Meg is also the best Disney has ever produced. Hercules is immediately head over heels (because of course he is) but it takes Meg almost the whole movie to develop similar feelings for him. The two even go on an actual date, where their relationship grows and they discover more about both themselves and their feelings for each other. It’s a genuinely interesting and cute romance that is infinitely more engaging than anything else in any other Disney movie.
And don’t say Frozen or I swear to god I’ll fight you.
It also has some pretty fun and memorable action. Hercules’ training with Phil is a classic training montage in every regard, Hercules VS the Hydra is a treat to watch, and the confrontation between Herc and the Titans is immensely satisfying to watch. And if you guys know me, you know I’m a sucker for some good action.
I honestly can’t think of any major issues I have with this movie. I’m racking my mind for any plot issues, moments of poor acting or animation, or anything of the like. But I’m coming up blank. Every moment of this movie brings a big goofy smile to my face.
Not many movies can do that.
If you haven’t seen this one, I’d recommend you fix that. It’s a good movie in every regard, and it’s a ton of fun to watch. If you’re in the mood for a feel good Disney movie, I can only think of a few better alternatives.
The primary one being Lilo and Stitch, which is the best Disney movie and I’ll fight you on that.
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