Hercules (1997)
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84% of critics liked it
(49 reviews) -
68% of users liked it
(359,064 ratings)
Disney's animation team dipped into the rich well of ancient mythology for this musical comedy. The son of Greek gods Zeus (voice of Rip Torn) and Hera (Samantha Eggar), Hercules (voice of Josh Keaton) is stolen as a boy by the minions of Hades (voice of James Woods), lord of the underworld.… More Disney's animation team dipped into the rich well of ancient mythology for this musical comedy. The son of Greek gods Zeus (voice of Rip Torn) and Hera (Samantha Eggar), Hercules (voice of Josh Keaton) is stolen as a boy by the minions of Hades (voice of James Woods), lord of the underworld. Forced to live among humans, Hercules is turned into a half-god and half-mortal after drinking a forbidden potion brewed by Hades' right hand men, Pain (voice of Bob Goldthwait) and Panic (voice of Matt Frewer). Now Hercules has the remarkable strength of a god, but is trapped in the body of a human, and before he learns how to use his power properly he goes through a typically adolescent awkward period. In order to become a god and return to his home on Mount Olympus, Hercules must prove himself a true hero on Earth. With the assistance of Philotes (voice of Danny De Vito), a plucky satyr known as "Phil," the grown-up Hercules (voice of Tate Donovan) learns to use his strength to his advantage and becomes a famous and benevolent protector of those around him, successfully battling a variety of gods and monsters. However, Hades, wanting to cut Hercules down to size, sends his secret weapon after him -- Megara (voice of Susan Egan), a seductively beautiful woman under Hades' control, who is to win Hercules' heart and render him helpless against the forces of the underworld. Acclaimed British cartoonist Gerald Scarfe served as production designer for this project, while Alan Menken wrote the musical score. Incidentally, for the Spanish language version of the film, Latin pop singer Ricky Martin provided the singing voice of Hercules, two years before he became a chart-topping sensation in America with his hit single "Livin' la Vida Loca." ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- John Musker, Ron Clements
- Written By
- Ron Clements, Don McEnery, Irene Mecchi, John Musker, Bob Shaw
- Genres
- Animation, Kids & Family, Science Fiction & Fantasy
- In Theaters
- Jun 15, 1997 Wide
- Studio
- Buena Vista Internationa
Critic Reviews
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Desson Thomson, Washington Post
[An] insipid, lifeless, animated feature.
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Rita Kempley, Washington Post
Chock-full of celeb cameos, puns and contemporary camp, the movie is annoyingly hip.
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Richard Corliss, TIME Magazine
This is a bright movie, in both senses of the word.
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Leonard Klady, Variety
It's a winning tall tale, cleverly told and wonderfully voiced...
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Derek Adams, Time Out
Another benchmark achievement for the Aladdin team of Musker and Clements.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Tate Donovan
as Hercules
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Josh Keaton
as Young Hercules
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Roger Bart
as Young Hercules (singing)
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Danny DeVito
as Phil
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James Woods
as Hades
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Susan Egan
as Meg
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Bobcat Goldthwait
as Pain
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Matt Frewer
as Panic
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Rip Torn
as Zeus
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Samantha Eggar
as Hera
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Barbara Barrie
as Alcmene
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Hal Holbrook
as Amphitryon
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Paul Shaffer
as Hermes
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Amanda Plummer
as (The) Fates
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Carole Shelley
as (The) Fates
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Paddi Edwards
as (The) Fates
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Charlton Heston
as Narrator


