"Kim Possible: The Villain Files"
DVD Review
by Kevin Carr
| MOVIE: *** (out of 5 stars)
DVD EXPERIENCE: ** (out of 5 stars) STARRING Christy Carlson Romano as KIM POSSIBLE Will Freidel as RON STOPPABLE Nancy Cartwright as RUFUS Tahj Mowry as WADE Rated TV-G Studio: Disney Created by: Bob Schooley and Mark McCorkle Back to DVD Review Home |
 |
Can I just say that I think Kim Possible is hot? Is that so wrong?
I know she’s just in high school, but she’s a cartoon. Isn’t this the same thing about having a soft spot for other cartoon characters like Daphne from “Scooby Doo” or Judy Jetson? And I know that Christine Romano, who does the voice for Kim Possible, is in her 20s. She’s not a bad looking actress, but it’s her voice that does it, I guess.
Okay, creepiness is over. I just had to get that off my chest.
Between the Disney cartoon shows and what you see on Cartoon Network, you can overload on this new hip animation. I’ve never been a big fan of the new cartoons. I prefer to get my cartoon fix from the Boomerang network, and I’m raising my kids on a steady diet of old school cartoons.
However, “Kim Possible” is probably one of the better ones out there. They all follow the same formula - some kid in high school or junior high (or even grade school) has special powers or abilities and has a secret life of fighting crime. This applies to everything from the annoying “Code Name Kids Next Door” to the downright bizarre “Tutenstein.”
But “Kim Possible” just seems to work the way the old “Superboy” comic books worked - long before the WB came in and made the young Clark Kent into a more realistic hero. Part of what clicks with “Kim Possible” is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. It manages to poke fun at itself and the genre in the same vein as “Austin Powers.” Sure, other shows do this as well, but it’s actually hard to hit the mark without being to egotistically introspective.
Disney DVD has released several DVDs from the “Kim Possible” series without letting go of entire seasons. “The Villain Files” is the latest release to join “The Secret Files” and “A Stitch in Time” on the video store shelves.
What’s nice about this new DVD is that it gives the viewer a nice overview of the villains in the Kim Possible universe. And thinking back to any James Bond movie, it’s clear that the villains are what makes a movie work.
The disc contains four episodes of the series, including the never-before-seen “Showdown at the Crooked D.” Each episode pits Kim Possible against a maniacal, over-the-top villain. Some plots she must foil include a plan to make her disappear with embarrassment (and includes a hilarious appearance by “embarrassment ninjas”), Duff Killigan’s plan to turn the entire world into a golf course, and Sr. Senior, Jr.’s attempt to commandeer a quick-freeze ray. Of course, tagging along are Ron Stoppable, her dorky but faithful sidekick, and his naked mole rat Rufus.
In the “Crooked D.” episode, Kim and her family go on vacation to her uncle’s dude ranch, and Kim meets her cousin who is obsessed with Kim’s crime-fighting career. Meanwhile, Dr. Drakken is trying to become the smartest man on the planet by inducing stupidity on the world’s geniuses.
Also included on this disc is your run-of-the-mill Radio Disney music video. The other feature, which is worth checking out, is the “Villain House Party,” which provides dossiers on the major bad guys on Kim Possible’s enemy list.
Specifications: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. Fullscreen (1.33:1). English subtitles for the hearing impaired.
