Robert Halmi Sr. and Jr. once again take on the stuff of mythic miniseries, only this time they achieve it with less success than in their previous endeavors (Merlin, The 10th Kingdom). The three-hour movie "event" spends so much time pre-Hercules on Alcmene's machinations that the story starts out convoluted and never quite recovers. Yes, there are some fine special effects and some cool moments, but Alcmene's constant manipulations root this story in melodrama instead of mythology.

Elizabeth Perkins and Timothy Dalton are fine actors and do as much with their overwrought material as possible. However, while no one could blame the women in the tale for being cranky—considering that every time they have sex they get pregnant—Hercules is far into the story before any of it makes sense. The journey becomes unsatisfying, with the odd mix of politics, religion and our favorite legendary hero.

As for Paul Telfer, who shows up a third of the way through the tale as the adult Hercules, he's physically perfect for the role. Unfortunately, just about any actor would have trouble mixing the fantastic action involved in Hercules' labors with the melodrama that takes place back in the palace.

Still, the biggest surprise is that while some of the special effects are wonderful, such as the hydra, the harpies and the Nemean lion, not all of the effects come off as well. The Golden Hind, which was created completely with CGI, looks like a cartoon, and the movement of the centaurs never really works.

It all comes down to the fact that Hercules is a story that hasn't really decided what it wants to be. Gods don't pop in and out, a la Kevin Sorbo's Hercules. In fact, they don't show up at all, which is a bit disconcerting, considering their worshipers come off as religious fanatics. And far too much time is spent with the palace plotting. If it weren't for the fantastic beasties that our hero faces, this story wouldn't even be fantasy. And a story called Hercules should be fantasy.