Hercules

I have read over so many of the reviews for this film and come away with the feeling that there are many people who take cartoons too seriously.I have always been a huge mythology fan. I was disappointed to see that this version is a far cry from anything true to the actual story of Hercules. In fact, they could have made up any name and made the same movie without referring to Hercules even once. Perhaps that would have worked better for 90% of the people who gave this film negative reviews. However, they took great liberties with the orginal story and still made something that was entertaining.Was there violence in the film? Yes, Hercules fights several "bad guys" and chops off heads. It is not done in a gory way but I would not have very little children watch this movie if they are sensitive to such things. Most of the battles are done in a musical montage way with an upbeat song in the background so it is not done in a scary way.I happened to like Meg's jaded character. She had reason to feel the way that she did about men. This may be a concept too vague or confusing for small kids to grasp. It may be that a parent would either not want to allow a small child to view the film or actually explain Meg's feelings...you know like parents should do. One reviewer commented that this film was overly sexualized and demeaning toward women. In one scene, Meg is attempting to get information from Hercules by using her charms. Hercules does not take the bait and instead treats her with a respect that she had not experienced before. It is what encourages her to go against Hades and change her negative opinions. Like so many women in real life, Meg was the one who was making herself out to be an object rather than someone worthy of love, not Hercules and certainly not Disney.A lot of the things that I saw people complain about would be over the heads of small children. After all, how many little ones are well-versed in ancient mythology? If they are, how can you ever feel offended by the violence and sexual themes that you see in this movie if you're reading mythology to your kids? Anything in real mythology is far more violent and sexual than this film. No movie is a babysitter no matter how mundane, harmless, or how big the G rating is on the cover. Be a parent and watch the movie for yourself first. Take note on the areas where your child may have questions or confusion. Watch it with your child and look for those reactions, but don't impose your own reactions if they completely missed that reference that has knotted up your underwear so severely.