A bright, fast-moving Disney adventure with a sharp comedic edge, memorable songs, and a standout villain. It plays loosely with the myth, but the energy, style, and emotional sincerity make it one of the studio’s most rewatchable animated features.
Hercules
Where to watch: Buy
Movie · Animation · Family
Fri · 1h 33m
Director: Ron Clements, John Musker
Starring: Tate Donovan, Josh Keaton, Roger Bart
Overview
Bestowed with superhuman strength, a young mortal named Hercules sets out to prove himself a hero in the eyes of his father, the great god Zeus. Along with his friends Pegasus, a flying horse, and Phil, a personal trainer, Hercules is tricked by the hilarious, hotheaded villain Hades, who's plotting to take over Mount Olympus!
Director
Ron Clements, John Musker
Cast
Tate Donovan, Josh Keaton, Roger Bart
Curator Review
Verdict
A bright, fast-moving Disney adventure with a sharp comedic edge, memorable songs, and a standout villain. It plays loosely with the myth, but the energy, style, and emotional sincerity make it one of the studio’s most rewatchable animated features.
Best for
fans of witty family animation
viewers who like musical fantasy adventures
people who enjoy charismatic villains
audiences seeking a light, upbeat crowd-pleaser
Skip if
you want faithful Greek mythology
you prefer quieter or more emotionally restrained animation
you dislike broad comedy and pop-culture-inflected humor
you are looking for a darker or more adult take on the Hercules legend
Overview
Hercules is one of Disney’s most buoyant late-90s animated films, built on speed, color, and comic timing. It treats the Greek myth as a playground, not a textbook, and that freedom gives the movie room for big jokes, lively set pieces, and a very strong sense of personality.
Worth noting
The movie’s biggest strengths are its villain, its songs, and its visual invention. Hades is a scene-stealer, the gospel-inspired musical numbers give the film a distinct identity, and the animation leans into bold silhouettes and expressive character work that still holds up well.
Bottom line
It is also a surprisingly effective coming-of-age story underneath the jokes. Hercules’ desire to belong, Meg’s guarded vulnerability, and the film’s emphasis on heroism as a choice rather than a birthright give it more heart than its breezy tone might suggest. It is not the most faithful version of the myth, but it is one of the most entertaining.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Emma Stefansky · 8156 likes
is there any joke funnier than "someone call IXII"
James (Schaffrillas) (4.5★) · 5658 likes
The only possible justification for making a live-action remake of this is to cast Bob Odenkirk as Hades
vi (5★) · 5398 likes
meg: *exists* me as a young child, about to develop my first crush on a woman and subsequently repress it for 10+ years: okay. noted.
dani leblanc (4.5★) · 4699 likes
the worlds greatest girl band
Logan Kenny (4★) · 3523 likes
disgusting pro-Zeus revisionism on display here.
Themes
coming of age, heroism, found family, self-discovery, mythology, redemption, fate vs choice, romantic tension