HERCULES
A film review by John Bauer
Copyright 1997 John Bauer
*** (out of 4)
I've been spoiled by THE LION KING. With that film, Disney proved that they could make an animated feature that was as multi-layered as any film -- witty, moving, at times breathtaking to look at, and with a song score that at its best enhanced the emotional mood. ...Oh yeah, and kids liked it, too. No wonder it's the most popular film in the studio's history. It also set a standard that more and more seems unlikely to be matched. For as much as I appreciated the special merits and envelope-pushing spirit of POCAHONTAS and THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, neither came anywhere near the same level of achievement -- in part because the studio lost sight of its target audience of children in its quest for LION-sized grosses.
Perhaps realizing that their reach was exceeding their grasp, Disney has crafted their latest opus, HERCULES, with more modest goals in mind. Rather than try to turn an adult literary classic like HUNCHBACK into kiddie fare, its subject is one children have been enthralled with for generations. Instead of using revisionist history to teach lessons in respect for other cultures and the environment, as in POCAHONTAS, the moral of HERCULES is a more straightforward (though still timely) message about the true nature of heroism. By retrenching from the outer reaches of ambition and maintaining a fairly light-hearted tone throughout, however, this latest contender for a place in every child's video collection feels a tad too safe.
The suspicion that HERCULES may not be a giant-killer among movies is planted early on. The opening 15 minutes or so are the most uninvolving of any Disney animated film in recent memory. After a brief but mildly amusing setup by the 5-woman Greek chorus-cum-girl group, the scene shifts to Olympus, where Zeus is showing off his newborn son. What might have been an amusing look at life among the gods turns out to be a tedious exercise in story exposition. This is more akin to how Disney's imitators behave, those that haven't quite figured out that animated success lies less in how the film is drawn than in how the tale is told. It is disconcerting to see the standard-bearer doing this. Maybe they should've watched the opening of THE LION KING a few times for inspiration.
Things improve as Herc becomes a teen, but are derailed again as he sings a trite song about finding his place in the world. Didn't Belle in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST sing one of those? Doesn't every Disney protagonist feel alone in the world? How about a song about being a hero instead? (Doesn't Hercules have any idols?) Once Hercules reaches heroic proportions (with the only intermittently amusing help of Phil, a satyr voiced by Danny DeVito), the film finally gets in gear, though it takes another uninspired transition ("Let's go to Thebes.") to get us there.
As Hercules begins in earnest to prove himself by battling the forces of Hades, the film assumes a higher level of interest more customary for Disney. The songs are fresher (including a funny if all-too-brief take on fame by the chorus), the animation more intriguing (as when the screen fills with the menace of a multi-headed monster), the humor more pointed (sometimes literally). And we are introduced to a Disney female like no other, the sarcastic and jaded Meg, marvelously voiced by Susan Egan. Though others may prefer the devilish work of James Woods as Hades, for my money the tough but vulnerable Meg steals the show.
By the time the final credits roll, HERCULES has managed to overcome its plodding beginning and occasional lapses to make you feel warm all over. Disney's admirable record for maintaining a level of quality that is never less than good is upheld. But unlike THE LION KING, it's easy to spot ways in which this film could have been a whole lot better. ...Oh yeah, the kids'll like it.
June 29, 1997
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