Hercules (1997)
83%RT Audience Score: 76%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
9 wins & 16 nominations total
Fast-paced and packed with dozens of pop culture references, Hercules might not measure up with the true classics of the Disney pantheon, but it’s still plenty of fun
Hercules is a movie that will make you laugh, cry, and feel like you can take on the world. It’s got everything you could want in an animated film: action, adventure, romance, and a whole lot of heart. Sure, some critics might call it “insipid” or “childish,” but those people clearly don’t know how to have fun. So grab some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the ride with Hercules and his gang of misfit heroes. You won’t regret it!
Production Company(ies)
Walt Disney Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures,
Distributor
Buena Vista Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
G
Year of Release
1997
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1 (original and intended ratio)
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Runtime:1h 32m
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Language(s):English, Spanish, Greek
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 14, 1997 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 3, 2002
Genre(s)
Adventure
Keyword(s)
starring Tate Donovan, Danny DeVito, James Woods, Susan Egan, Josh Keaton, Roger Bart, directed by Ron Clements, John Musker, written by Ron Clements, Irene Mecchi, John Musker, Adventure, Greek mythology, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Carol Buckland, Desson Thomson, Susan Stark, Rita Kempley, Richard Corliss, Leonard Klady, Rachel Wagner, Felix Vasquez Jr., James Plath, Dustin Putman, Josh Larsen, MPAA rating G, produced by Ron Clements, Alice Dewey Goldstone, John Musker, Hercules, son of gods, Hades, Mount Olympus, Philoctetes, evil creatures, Disney, animated feature, pop culture references, anachronistic humor, musical numbers, James Woods as Hades, Danny DeVito as Philoctetes
Worldwide gross: $252,712,101
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $471,075,791
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 304
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 51,371,406
US/Canada gross: $99,112,101
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $184,752,971
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 401
US/Canada opening weekend: $249,567
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $465,213
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,428
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $85,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $158,446,873
Production budget ranking: 199
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $85,323,641
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $227,305,276
ROI to date (est.): 93%
ROI ranking: 967
Josh Keaton – Young Hercules (Voice)
Roger Bart – Young Hercules (Singing Voice)
Danny DeVito – Philoctetes (Voice)
James Woods – Hades; Lord of the Underworld (Voice)
Susan Egan – Megara (Voice)
Director(s)
Ron Clements, John Musker
Writer(s)
Ron Clements, Irene Mecchi, John Musker
Producer(s)
Ron Clements, Alice Dewey Goldstone, John Musker
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
9 wins & 16 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (55) | Top Critics (17) | Fresh (46) | Rotten (9)
Kids will love Hercules. It’s fast-paced, it’s funny, and it has a very positive message. Adults will enjoy it as well, thanks to its animated artistry and sly wit.
January 5, 2018
Carol Buckland
CNN.com
TOP CRITIC
[An] insipid, lifeless, animated feature.
November 16, 2009
Desson Thomson
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
October 18, 2008 | Rating: 4/4
Susan Stark
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
Chock-full of celeb cameos, puns and contemporary camp, the movie is annoyingly hip.
October 18, 2008
Rita Kempley
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
This is a bright movie, in both senses of the word.
September 1, 2008
Richard Corliss
TIME Magazine
TOP CRITIC
It’s a winning tall tale, cleverly told and wonderfully voiced…
September 1, 2008
Leonard Klady
Variety
TOP CRITIC
I guess it’s something different from Disney which felt refreshing and it made me laugh.
May 8, 2019 | Rating: B
Rachel Wagner
rachelsreviews.net
One of [Disney’s] more unique and outside the box animated adaptations.
February 26, 2017
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed
‘Hercules’ may be second-tier Disney, but it’s TOP second tier, not far behind the studio’s best animated work.
August 14, 2014 | Rating: 7/10
James Plath
Movie Metropolis
[Blu-ray Review] Isn’t one of the Mouse House’s absolute best, but it is an astutely written entertainment with a keen aesthetic sense and a fun ensemble of characters. For Disney collectors, picking “Hercules” up is a no-brainer. Highly recommended.
August 13, 2014 | Rating: 2.5/4
Dustin Putman
TheBluFile.com
…compiles pop-culture references and genre tropes that are not only crudely envisioned, but often downright contradictory to the story at hand.
June 21, 2014 | Rating: 1/4
Josh Larsen
LarsenOnFilm
The most flat-out childish film of the Disney Renaissance: this is both its great triumph and ultimately the reason that it’s so hard to care about it all that much.
December 2, 2009 | Rating: 7/10
Tim Brayton
Antagony & Ecstasy…
Plot
Hercules, son of the Greek God, Zeus, is turned into a half-god, half-mortal by evil Hades, God of the Underworld, who plans to overthrow Zeus. Hercules is raised on Earth and retains his god-like strength, but when he discovers his immortal heritage Zeus tells him that to return to Mount Olympus he must become a true hero. Hercules becomes a famous hero with the help of his friend Pegasus and his personal trainer, Phil the satyr. Hercules battles monsters, Hades and the Titans, but it is his self-sacrifice to rescue his love Meg which makes him a true hero.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
James Woods’ performance as Hades is a standout in the film, with his deadpan sarcasm and fiery personality stealing the show.
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