If you’re looking to find your nostalgia fix in a guaranteed feel-good film, then Hercules should be your next pick. Besides being one of the many underrated gems that shone during Disney’s 2D animation renaissance, it also celebrates 25 years of excellence this week.
Zero to Hero!
There is something so fresh about Hercules more than two decades later. The wit is razor-sharp, the soundtrack filled with absolute bangers, and the characters so well-written. Even the story doesn’t follow that well-beaten path.
You have your swashbuckling yet earnest lead in Hercules (voiced by Tate Donovan), who really just wants to find his place in the world. Sure, he’s a caricature of the real Hercules, but one you readily accept. Danny Devito’s snarky Philoctetes is about as loveable as Danny Devito himself. Even more so when he yells “Hey! I’m walkin’ here!” to a speeding chariot. Even Megara isn’t your typical romantic interest, with a pure heart and righteous intentions. Her murky past colours her present, which makes her eventual redemption all the more grounded.
And let’s just talk about Hades for a second. James Woods delivers a standout performance in what is arguably Disney’s best and most underrated villain ever. He is what the kids these days refer to as “a mood,” with quirky bouts of sarcasm and sporadic bursts of annoyance that feel especially relatable in our time. There isn’t a single moment in which you aren’t amused by his presence on screen. And I don’t know about you but with Zeus’ mythological track record, maybe Hades taking over Mount Olympus wouldn’t have been so bad.
“Somebody call IX-I-I!“
Well, we know Disney certainly took some… creative liberties in adapting the myth for younger audiences. The movie can be best described as a watered-down, PG-rated Greek mythology crash-course, minus the murder, torture, and adultery, of course. But if you look past the many, many grievances and historical inaccuracies (believe me, Hera was no doting mother), a charm exists in Hercules that modern Disney films seem to lack.
Hercules is almost unadulterated with age, with honey-toned hues, and a Grecian-inspired art style that still holds its own unique allure in a world saturated with cookie-cutter 3D animation. The many narrative interludes and musical numbers, courtesy of the Muses, absolutely carry this film from top to tail. And the humour, somehow, still hits every single spot decades on. It is a ton of fun.
So hey, even if the source material hasn’t aged well, Disney has proved that a glorified retelling can withstand the test of time. And that’s the gospel truth.
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