Deep Dive Disney: Wes Ranks the Disney Renaissance Films

Well folks, we did it. Somehow, we actually did it. We have covered every single film in the Disney Renaissance. I don’t know how I survived. Frankly, I’m surprised that I was able to make it past Peter Pan without cracking, but we did it! However, since this era is considered to be Disney’s greatest, I’ve decided to bid it a final farewell by ranking these films from worst to best. Keep in mind, this is not a definitive measure of quality but simply a measure of which films I got the most out of. This is my opinion and it’s meant to be fun, let’s keep it that way. Also, even though it would give us an even ten movies, I’ve decided not to count rescuers down under. Even though it was released in 1990, it is typically not considered to be a part the Disney Renaissance. So, without further ado, let’s rank every Disney Renaissance film from worst to best.

9. Pocahontas (1995)

Favorite Character: Chief Powhatan

Favorite Song: Colors of the Wind

Main Character: Uninteresting. Pocahontas feels less like her own character and more like a collection of borrowed traits from other characters from better movies though lacking the charm that made those characters interesting to begin with.

Villain: Bland. Ratcliffe comes across like an extra prissy Captain Planet villain and at no point feels like an actual threat. I love David Ogden Stiers, but this is not one of his better roles.

Side Characters: Mostly forgettable. None of these characters come alive in quite the same way the characters in other films do. John Smith would be okay if it weren’t for the disturbing implications created by his historical counterpart.

Songs: Decent and well performed, but not enough to salvage the rest of the film.

Favorite Scene: There was one brief throwaway conversation where Pocahontas learns about London and finds it fascinating that I didn’t completely hate.

Story: Problematic. Adapting actual history and doing so poorly makes this film a very uncomfortable experience, especially to anyone curious enough to Google how old Pocahontas actually was in 1607. Attempting to make colonization a grey issue is also a massive “What Were They Thinking.” Dark Disney Factor: Virtually Non-Existent. The only character who actually dies is one that, by the film’s own admission, has little to no personality.

Final Thoughts: No surprises that this one ends up at the bottom of the barrel. Historical baggage aside, this film’s biggest crime was simply that it wasn’t fun. Sitting through Pocahontas felt like a chore which is something that none of these movies should be.

8. The Little Mermaid (1989)

Favorite Character: Sebastian

Favorite Song: Under The Sea

Main Character: Infuriating. Ariel is a selfish airhead who puts her friends in danger simply to get more stuff for her collection and acts without considering the consequences. There is virtually nothing sympathetic about the character and she has no arc to speak of.

Villain: Great. Ursula is enjoyably menacing and comes across as a very sinister threat, especially during the final battle. Great as she is though, Disney has more than a few better versions of this Lucifer figure archetype.

Side Characters: A mixed bag. I felt for Sebastian and Prince Eric had a bit more personality than previous Disney Princes, but Scuttle didn’t really do much for me and Triton came across as more of a jerk than he should have.

Songs: Easily the strongest aspect of the movie. All the songs fit the narrative well and there’s hardly a dud in the bunch. The soundtrack definitely saves this one from the bottom of the barrel.

Favorite Scene: Much like Pocahontas, I liked the scene where the now human Ariel is learning more about the strange world she’s now discovered and reacting to it with joy and wide eyed enthusiasm. Unlike Pocahontas, this scene understands that it’s sometimes better to show and not tell.

Story: Incorrectly focused. The decision to place the focus on Ariel, who’s already an irritating character, when everything in the film points to this actually being King Triton’s story was a huge mistake in my opinion. Dark Disney Factor: Okay I guess. A few hidden phalluses and a particularly scary climax, especially to someone who saw this movie at age three, give this a bit more dark stuff to enjoy than Pocahontas.

Final Thoughts: Look, I’ll concede that this movie is not as bad as I’ve made it out to be all these years but that doesn’t mean I like it. Ariel is honestly the least likable Disney protagonist I’ve ever come across and the overall lack of a lesson or character arc for the main character still leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

7. Mulan (1998)

Favorite Character: Shan Yu

Favorite Song: I'll Make a Man Out of You

Main Character: Cool. Mulan is a strong and defiant woman who cares for her family and wants to bring honor to them in a way that fits her rather than the way society expects her to. A great role model for young women.

Villain: Underrated. Pound for pound, Shan Yu may be the most badass villain in the Disney Renaissance. Any guy who looks at the Great Wall of China and says “Challenge Accepted” is definitely one hardcore son of a bitch. His only flaw is a lack of personal connection to the hero.

Side Characters: Ranging from forgettable to annoying. Li Shang is okay and Mushu gets one or two laughs, but the rest of the cast isn’t really anything to write home about.

Songs: I’ll Make a Man out Of You is phenomenal and Reflection is pretty good too but the rest of the soundtrack is pretty unremarkable.

Favorite Scene: The climax is a lot of fun and nicely shows Mulan using her own natural talent for strategy as well as what she learned in the military. The three idiot soldiers dressing in drag, while played for laughs, has some nice symbolic context as well.

Story: A little heavy handed and obvious. The film is all about being who you are instead of what others expect you to be. A great message to be sure, but could have done with more subtlety. Dark Disney Factor: Relegated to a single scene. The aftermath of the massacre of the Tung Shao Pass is pretty dark but the rest of the film keeps thing pretty lighthearted.

Final Thoughts: There’s really nothing objectively wrong with Mulan, it just lacks a certain oomf that other films of this era possessed. It’s fun and has great action but I feel it could have been more than what it was.

6. Aladdin (1992)

Favorite Character: The Genie

Favorite Song: A Whole New World

Main Character: Iconic. One of Disney’s greatest and most well received male protagonists. While Aladdin is a flawed character, it works for the arc he goes through and his wit and ingenuity prove invaluable in defeating Jafar.

Villain: Also iconic. Jafar is what most people picture when they hear the term “Disney Villain.” That said, Jafar isn’t a particular complex character. He desires power and cannot abide anyone having more than himself. He’s a great antagonist but not necessarily and interesting one.

Side Characters: Great but too few. Princess Jasmine is wonderful and a lot more interesting than most Disney Princesses. The Genie absolutely steals every second of screen time, the late Robin Williams putting everything he has into the role. The rest of the characters feel mostly bland though and there doesn’t really seem to be enough of them.

Songs: Excellent. All of the songs feel like they have a unique identity all they're own and many have rightfully become household tunes.

Favorite Scene: I honestly love the scene where Aladdin and Jasmine first meet. It establishes Aladdin’s ability to talk himself out of any situation and that Jasmine is also pretty sharp herself. I swear, Jasmine plays crazy almost too well and I got a really big laugh out of it.

Story: Well delivered. I like the theme of recognizing one’s own worth even if it is a bit obvious. Aladdin thinks that he can only be of worth as Prince Ali, but it is the skills he demonstrates as Aladdin that win the heart of the princess and defeat the villain Dark Disney Factor: Threats of severed hands, giant man eating snakes, treasure horrifically melting into lava, this one has plenty of darkness to go around

Final Thoughts: As much as I love Aladdin, I had a hard time justifying putting it any higher. It’s good, but it can be a bit heavy handed and slow paced, especially when it comes to the second act. Also, the fact that we have an all-white, albeit talented cast playing characters who are meant to be Arabic adds a layer of discomfort to the film that’s difficult to ignore.

5. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

Favorite Character: Phoebus

Favorite Song: Hellfire

Main Character: Interesting. Quasimodo is a great character with a kind heart and you definitely feel for him. I appreciate that they actually pulled the trigger on making Quasimodo ugly instead of just giving us a handsome person with a few scars and calling them hideously deformed. I also like that the film bucks tradition by not having him end up with Esmerelda which honestly would have felt cheap.

Villain: The absolute worst. Frollo is a monster plain and simple. He tries to drown a baby, reminds his surrogate son every day that he’s an unlovable abomination, commits genocide, lusts after a woman forty years his junior and threatens to burn her alive if she doesn’t fuck him and all the while claiming that his actions are in service of the lord. Yeesh.

Side Characters: Another mixed bag. Phoebus and Esmerelda have great chemistry and are likable on their own, but the Gargoyles drag the film down and ruin several perfectly good scenes with their mere presence.

Songs: Some of the most epic and powerful songs Disney has ever written. A damn near perfect soundtrack, or at least it would be if it wasn’t for A Guy Like You.

Favorite Scene: Phoebus and Esmerelda’s fight in the cathedral is pretty cool. The two get off some great one liners and their chemistry is immediately apparent.

Story: Obvious. For a film so strong in other areas, it’s overall message is pretty obvious. The whole “What Makes a Monster and What Makes a Man” thing is drilled in pretty much from the beginning. It also gets a bit bogged down with a very inconsistent tone. Dark Disney Factor: JESUS! This film has everything. Murder, attempted infanticide, forced child labor, religious zealotry and that’s just in the first five minutes. There’s still the attempted genocide, torture, emotional manipulation, pedophilia and so… so much more to consider. It is definitely one of Disney’s more mature films.

Final Thoughts: If we were discussing the stage musical, Hunchback would be number one with a bullet. As it stands, it’s frustrating close to perfection but dragged down by things like the Gargoyles and the inconsistent tone. It’s great, one of Disney’s best, but I can’t justify putting it any higher than right in the middle.

4. Tarzan (1999)

Favorite Character: Jane Porter

Favorite Song: Strangers Like Me

Main Character: A Badass. Tarzan is very interesting and layered character. On one hand he’s gentle and curious but he can also kill a leopard with his bare hands. In many ways he’s a better version of Ariel whose curiosity about the human world is far more justified.

Villain: Not the best. Clayton has a few good moments, but he is ultimately just a greedy poacher motivated only by money, nothing we haven’t seen before. Still, BRIAN BLESSED does a great job with what he’s given.

Side Characters: Mostly good. Terk is better than people give her credit for. Kala is a sweet and loving mother and Jane is a fun character who actually gets more laughs than you think she would. The only questionable one is Kerchak, but I think his arc is more defined than people may think.

Songs: Hope you like Phil Collins. While often polarizing, I think these songs are simply amazing, especially my favorite, Strangers like me.

Favorite Scene: Definitely the first meeting of Tarzan and Jane. We go from an intense action scene to a lovably awkward meet-cute and I loved every second of it.

Story: Strong. Tarzan has two compelling arcs throughout the film and they both feel like a natural progression of his character. In the Tarzan story, many of the flaws present in the very similar Little Mermaid are corrected and improved upon. Dark Disney Factor: Very nice. Parents getting mauled to death by a leopard and poachers inadvertently hanging themselves really make the jungle environment of the film feel like the dangerous place that it is.

Final Thoughts: I’m actually surprised that Tarzan is as high on the list as it is as others tend to place it closer to the bottom. I think what it is that most of the issues people tend to have with this film (The Phil Collins soundtrack, Kerchak’s inconsistent arc, Rosie O’Donnell etc.) didn’t really bother me, so, take all that away and what we’re left with is a fun and visually stunning film

3. The Lion King (1994)

Favorite Character: Mufasa

Favorite Song: Can You Feel the Love Tonight

Main Character: Awesome. Simba is a great character who must learn the true meaning of leadership and responsibility. He’s flawed but understandably so given the trauma of his past.

Villain: One of the best. Scar is a huge fan favorite Disney Villain and it’s not hard to see why. Jeremy Irons performance is iconic and some of Scar’s more sinister moments, like the murder of Mufasa, stick in the mind of viewers.

Side Characters: Pretty good. Timon and Pumbaa are fun, Rafiki gets a lot of laughs, Nala and Simba play off one another well and Mufasa is a well presented Disney Dad performed brilliantly by the great James Earl Jones.

Songs: One of, if not the most perfect soundtrack Disney has ever produced. The songs are all wonderful and memorable without a dud in the bunch and the score is the best in any film I’ve ever seen, Disney or otherwise.

Favorite Scene: The Climax, without a doubt. I love how Simba comes across every bit as threatening as Scar. It’s a nice reminder that despite the fact that we saw them singing and dancing with colorful animals earlier, these are deadly lions and a brawl between two of them is sufficiently badass.

Story: Arguably one of the weaker aspects. The whole “Learn from the Past Instead of Run From It” literally spelled out for us in a single scene but isn’t really given much development beyond that. Dark Disney Factor: Nazi Hyenas. That’s a thing. I don’t know why it’s a thing, but it’s a thing. I also appreciate that this film contains one of the saddest Disney deaths ever and it’s treated as the horrific event it’s supposed to be.

Final Thoughts: This is the best movie in the Disney Renaissance and would be number one if I was grading on quality alone. It’s got stunning visuals a perfect soundtrack, some epic scenes and just about everything else a great Disney movie needs.

2. Beauty & The Beast (1991)

Favorite Character: Gaston

Favorite Song: Tale as Old as Time

Main Character: Great. Belle and Beast share the role of main character in equal measure and they play off one another well. They learn from one another and bring out the best in each other. Belle is a lovable bookworm and Beast, despite initially being a jerk shows that he’s capable of real change.

Villain: Hilarious. Gaston is so over the top and so filled to the brim with ego and toxic masculinity that he’s actually sort of endearing. He’s definitely a complete self-absorbed jackass but he’s still pretty funny overall.

Side Characters: Mostly fun with a lot of charm. The servants in the castle are necessary in making Belle feel welcome in her new surroundings and they all have likable personalities.

Songs: All of them great. The soundtrack rivals the quality of The Lion King without a single bad one in the group. They also range from hilarious, to heartwarming to twisted. Great stuff.

Favorite Scene: It’s simple, but I love the scene where Beast gives Belle the library. It shows that he’s actually taken the time to get to know her and has given her a present to reflect her interests and personality.

Story: Not what I thought it was. I always assumed that this film was about a woman with Stockholm syndrome and while the jury is still out on that aspect, the real theme is about putting forth the effort to better oneself, something the Beast was willing to do and Gaston was not. Dark Disney Factor: Plenty of disturbing implications all over the place, mostly centered around the hellish existence it must be for the servants in the castle to live out their lives as household objects.

Final Thoughts: If you told me a year ago that I would rank this as my second favorite Disney Renaissance film I’d have called you crazy. What puts this above The Lion King is that The Lion King was a film I loved from the beginning while this one had to work to win me over due to a long held bias, something it accomplished with flying colors.

1. Hercules (1997)

Favorite Character: Megara

Favorite Song: I Won't Say I'm in Love

Main Character: Awesome. A true heroic archetype. Herc is less like his mythological counterpart and more like a Superman type figure. He’s an inspiration to those around him who inspires others to be better.

Villain: One of the best in Disney’s rogue’s gallery. Hades is delightfully sinister and James Woods is a perfect marriage of character and actor. He’s likable while constantly feeling like a threat. I honestly can’t think of a bad guy who’s more fun to watch.

Side Characters: Pretty great. Phil is a credit to other similar characters before him such as Mickey from the Rocky films and Danny Devito is always a joy. Megara is hands down my favorite female Disney Character and her story is both compelling and tragic. If I didn’t love Susan Egan before, I certainly do now.

Songs: Awesome! The Gospel music, while odd for Greek Myth, fits the film perfectly. We also get inspirational songs like Go The Distance, fun ones like one last hope, and far and away one of the most powerful love songs Disney has ever given us, I Won't Say I'm In Love

Favorite Scene: Probably the scene where Hades tricks Herc into giving up his strength. Hades is on fire this entire scene and I’m not just talking about his hair. I especially love that he waits until after Herc is powerless to reveal that Meg has been on his side all along, it’s really insidious how he twists the knife like that.

Story: While the inaccuracies of Greek mythology were irksome, it’s not that bad when you realize that this movie isn’t trying to adapt actual Greek mythology but rather act as a superhero film with a Hercules coat of paint. It really works in that regard. Dark Disney Factor: I admire the fact that this movie had the balls to kill off Megara and have her die in Herc’s arms. It was a bold choice that ultimately helped to illustrate the film’s theme. Also, seeing Herc rapidly age in the River Styx was also pretty unsettling.

Final Thoughts: Controversial choice perhaps, but I can honestly say that this was the film that I got the most out of. It just hits a bullseye in every single category. It’s the only film that I watched more than once just because I loved the experience so much. It’s truly every bit as wonderful as I remember it from childhood if not better.

And with that, we finally wave goodbye to the Disney Renaissance and the (Mostly) great films contained within. It's been fun looking at these movies in great detail. Next time, Deep Dive Pixar Returns as we close out the 90's by pulling some of our favorite Toys out of the Box. Join me next time for Toy Story 2.