This is a Disney DVD trying to exploit the perceived popularity of their Hercules and Tarzan franchises. It consists of four short stories, two on Tarzan and two on Hercules. They are the sort of stories that can be seen on Toonattik on Saturday morning ITV1 and are certainly not ones to be seen over and over again.
Perversely, I shall review the extras first as really this is the best bit of the DVD. (It doesn't sound good for the rest, I know!) The extras consist of a game to test your suitability to be a Hero. My four year old son loves it and will play the DVD just for the game. It is a solo game where you are tested across the elements that make up being a Hero, such as strength, concentration and memory. You first of all choose to follow the Tarzan or Hercules path. Then you have to choose one of three routes to proceed to the next task. I found that in fact you still do the same tasks but in a different order whichever way you go. Also there is no difference in the tasks between the Tarzan and Hercules ones, apart from the jungle and Ancient Greek graphics. But I am not sure that my son has realised that. The journey through to these tasks I found it moves very slowly between screens accompanied by such inane waffle that I am surprised a youngster doesn't die of boredom waiting to do the next task. Some questions refer to the attached stories so it is preferable to watch them first. However, if you get an answer wrong you do get another go until you are right. So you do eventually proceed through the screens to be pronounced a Hero. Hooray!
Let's look for the stories now, here goes:
Prince of Thrace. This Hercules story is about our hero helping out a selfish and vain prince called Adonis (his name is entirely appropriate) who recklessly disturbs the goddess Mother Earth (alias Gaia). He then needs to get her golden apples in order to appease her. The writers try to make it hip with modern references in the dialogue but the kids don't understand them and the adults don't care. There is a narrator who talks to some singers a couple of times that breaks up the action. This only serves to drag out the pain even longer. Their attempts at funny moments such as the portrayal of a flat Earth consisting solely of Greece i.e. the whole known world of the time is not even an accurate representation of their view then. The "Zero to Hero" song is catchy but that is from the original film.
Theodore Roosevelt. I didn't notice a title screen but he is the central character of this episode. I can't imagine why they wish to portray a real character. Perhaps in America, the kids would know him more but here in the UK I can't imagine any kid knowing who he was. I am not sure many adults would know him either and those that would know of him would be unlikely to be watching this movie. So references such as to his famous saying "talk softly but carry a big stick" would be entirely lost on most. Anyway, the premise of this story is the kidnap of this one time US President and the heroic efforts of Tarzan to rescue him. Jungle smart of the animals is shown to be preferable to human smart, apart from the hero Tarzan that is.
Return of Typhon. This Hercules story is set around the festival of Titan Smitin Day. It is a celebration of the time when Hercules's father, the head God, Zeus, defeated a great titan and locked him away in a mountain. There is a theme park full of rides all dedicated to Zeus and Hercules is fed up with it. However it turns out that Zeus wasn't entirely responsible for the titan's defeat and gives the moral that everyone needs a little help sometimes. Everyone! Even the King God Zeus himself! That doesn't sound very likely, even from a child's perspective, does it?
Giant snake. Again there doesn't appear to be a title screen. This Tarzan story is about the arrival of a giant snake called Hista that attacks the gorillas. At the same time, Tarzan is challenged as leader of the family because some of the gorillas felt he was closer to Jane than his gorilla family. He loses but only because he put the saving of his opponent's life before winning. Being so noble and heroic, he accepts the decision on the technicality in good grace. Moyal is the new leader trying to make his mark but instead leads them all into danger. Needless to say Tarzan comes to the rescue and shows that rather than having to choose between Jane and the family, they are all part of the same family. Ah shucks!
All in all, these stories are pretty inane and unmemorable. I prefer the Tarzan stories as they do sort of work in context. They do give credit to being inspired by the characters created by Edgar Rice Burroughs. However, he is probably turning in his grave. But as for the Hercules ones; they are particularly grating. Their modern day references I do not find funny at all and it does not provide any link for my children to get interested in Ancient Greece. You get more fun and variety at playing the enclosed game but would you buy a film DVD for simply the game?
More details
Soundtrack
Good
How does it compare to others by the same director?
Unmemorable
Value for Money
Poor
What format are you reviewing?
DVD
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