Kim Possible: A Sitch in Time review by Mike Long

When I posted my review for the first Kim Possible DVD, Matt commented, "I had never heard of Kim Possible before I read this review". Unbeknownst to Matt, he was laying the groundwork for my review of the newest Kim Possible DVD, which is entitled, A Stitch in Time.

For years, we've seen TV series which would suddenly offer a special movie event, which usually had the cast visiting an exotic locale -- see The Facts of Life, or Saved by the Bell for examples of this. (And one can't help but wonder if the paid vacation wasn't the impetus for the "movie".) Well, this phenomenon isn't limited to live-action shows, as is demonstrated by Kim Possible: A Stitch in Time, an extra-long episode of the Disney Channel animated series. As A Stitch in Time opens, best friends and crime-fighting partners Kim Possible (voiced by Christy Carlson Romano) and Ron Stoppable (voiced by Will Freidle) are beginning a new school year, which is, of course, full of surprises. But, the surprises of this day, are most unwelcome. First, Kim and Ron learn that Ron's parents (voiced by Elliot Gould and Andrea Martin) are moving to Norway and taking Ron with them. And, they are leaving immediately. As if that weren't bad enough, Kim learns that four of her worst enemies, Dr. Drakken (voiced by John Di Maggio), his assistant Shego (voiced by Nicole Sullivan), Duff Killigan (voiced by Brian George) and Lord Monkey Fist (voiced by Tom Kane), have teamed-up to steal an ancient statue called "Tempus Simius". Without Ron's help. Kim isn't able to stop the crime and the villains get away. As Kim investigates the robbery, she learns that the statue can be used for time-travel and this opens the door on a story in which Kim will face her greatest challenges and will understand how important Ron is to her.

Kim Possible: A Stitch in Time is a fantastic little movie and fans of the show will love it. But, for people like poor Matt, much of the special will come across as confusing and convoluted. So, there's the rub -- Kim Possible: A Stitch in Time is basically a love-letter to the followers of the series, but those who don't know the show won't get much of it. Thus, there's the groundwork for this review.

The writers of Kim Possible clearly have a firm understanding of what the show's fans like and they deliver it in spades here. For starters, A Stitch in Time contains a whole lot of Ron Stoppable, and it's his unique comedy (highlighted by Will Freidle's vocal work) which sets this show apart from its contemporaries. When Ron shouts things like "I got mad love for the meat cakes", you know you're not dealing with your typical Disney show. Secondly, having four of the shows most popular villains gang-up on Kim makes this sort of a greatest hits collection. But, the best part of Kim Possible: A Stitch in Time is the story itself. The time-traveling concept will honestly be confusing to some viewers, but the movie doesn't back down from taking many twists and turns. And, the movie sheds some all-important light on how Kim became a globe-trotting super-hero. I admire the fact that a movie which is essentially aimed at children took the risk of taking on a decidedly sci-fi slant to its story. And if that doesn't sound impressive enough, simply click on the IMDB.com link provided above and check out the vocal talent involved with this project. (Also note that director Steve Loter worked on Duckman and Clerks: The Animated Series and he manages to bring a sly sense of humor to this work.) Kim Possible: A Stitch in Time is a surprisingly effective animated work which will dazzle fans of the show. But, as I've mentioned above, this isn't the place to start if you aren't familiar with the show. Check out some episodes and then watch A Stitch in Time. You won't be disappointed.

Kim Possible: A Stitch in Time slips onto DVD courtesy of Disney DVD. The movie has been letterboxed at ("Family Friendly") 1.78:1 and the transfer is enhanced for 16 x 9 TVs. This transfer is very impressive, as the picture is razor sharp and crystal clear. The image shows no defects and the colors look gorgeous. There is some occasional "stuttering", but this only occurs a few times. Otherwise, this transfer rivals digital broadcast quality. The DVD contains a Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track. This track offers clear dialogue and shows no signs of distortion. The stereo effects are noticeably good here, and the on-screen action to speaker-placement of the sounds is dead-on. The surround sound effects are discrete, but effective, and the limited subwoofer action helps to accentuate the action scenes.

The DVD contains two extras. The first is a set-top entitled "Totally Awesome Tempus Simius Simulation Activity". The other is a music-video for the song "Naked Mole Rap". Trust me, if you know that show, you get that.


8 out of 10 Jackasses

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