Like what was said in my review for 'The Musicians of Bremen', it is easy to see why the animations of Dingo Pictures are relatively obscure, though those who have had the misfortune of seeing any of their output (which along with their equally low-budget computer animated counterpart Video Brinquedo have not once made anything worthwhile) but cannot forget their awfulness.
'Hercules' may not be as derivative as feared, was expecting it to be a blatant rip-off of the Disney film (which while the weakest of the Renaissance era, with a bland Hercules and one of Alan Menken's weaker scores, is still an enjoyable film, especially for the characters of Hades, Phil and sassy Meg), but it is cheap and intelligence-insulting and quite easily the worst version of the 'Hercules' story. Again plenty of Dingo Pictures' trademarks are here.
It is hard to begin criticising this, especially when it's something with no redeeming values whatsoever. The animation is atrocious once again, even for low-budget animation, the flat colours, very simplistic backgrounds and lack of detail and hideous and creepy (especially baby Hercules) character animation as well as a style that once again makes art of primary school children who draw and paint in half an hour or less seem more accomplished. Even worse is the decision to insert characters like a Dalmatian and the bird from their animation about dinosaurs that just randomly pop up and serve absolutely no purpose to the plot.
Music is very heavy in repetition and the main theme may sound Greek but it certainly doesn't sound Ancient Greek. With the script, it is very difficult who the target audience is. Children will find the dialogue over-complicated and adults will find it embarrassingly juvenile, not to mention that it sounds intelligence-insultingly awkward. The story is not as derivative as it could have been, but feels stretched even for a short running time, drags badly, is very disjointed and goes nowhere a lot of the time, complete with battles that suffer from opponents/threats that are less than threatening and choreography that is reminiscent of school playground fighting.
Characters are irritating and bland, not a likable or interesting character among them, while the sound effects are bizarre and randomly placed and the voice acting is amateurish even by low-budget animation standards, often being annoying and incomprehensible and even ill-fitting.
To sum up, a stinker in every possible way. Very rarely give a 1/10 these days, only have given out 4 this year including this, but 'Hercules' really deserves it. Bethany Cox
