Has
Disney no sense of shame? I'm talking about their endless substandard
straight-to-video sequels here. The shelves at your local retailer are
groaning beneath the weight of these sell-thru tapes and DVDs aimed
squarely at parents who need virtual babysitters for their six-year-olds.
Doesn't tarnishing the memory of beloved Disney flicks with these cheaply
made (check
the end-title
credits on this one for details of the Korean subcontractor responsible
for the animation) ?sequels? and Saturday morning cartoons bother Disney?
Sure, I know Disney lost a lot of money with the ill-conceived
Treasure Planet last year, but surely it
made up for this because of its share in this year's two mega-hit movies
(namely Finding Nemo and Pirates of the Caribbean)? Does it
have to keep churning out these lacklustre videos?
The answer is apparently, sadly, yes. Now to be fair, Stitch! the
Movie isn't strictly a sequel to last
year's delightful
Lilo & Stitch, one of my favourites despite its many faults (such as
its saccharine family values message). Apparently it is an introduction
to a new Disney TV cartoon series, and taken on those terms perhaps it
isn't too bad.
The plot sets up the premise for the series. Stitch, the koala
bear-look-alike alien was experiment 626, meaning that there was another
625 ?illegal genetic experiments?. By the end of this movie, these
Gremlins, er sorry, experiments that become
activated when they come in contact with water are all set loose upon
Hawaii. First Pearl Harbour, and now this . . .
Anyway, this - as you may have figured - sets the scene for many future
episodes. Rumour has it that Disney is working on a ?real? sequel for last
year's big screen movie, but they might as well not bother if the results
are anything like this.
Stitch!
the Movie
is a bit like soda without any fizz left in it. It is very similar to the
original movie (most of the voice talent returns by the way), except the
storyline is contrived, the jokes and dialogue flat, and the animation
lacklustre.
Everything we have to expect of Disney's straight-to-video sequels in
other words . . .
THE DISC: The image transfer is good and so is the sound. The film
is in widescreen (which is nice) and not in full screen ? this is rather
surprising because it was made for television in the first place.
WORTH IT? Measured in how long Stitch! the Movie will keep
your kids entertained, it is a rip-off: it runs for a mere 60 minutes as
opposed to the usual 80-90 minutes one would expect of a full-length
feature . . .
RECOMMENDATION: Your four-year-old may coerce you into buying it,
but don't watch it with him or her . . .
