- Release Date: September 16, 2008
- Publisher: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
- Price: $21.99 on Amazon.com
- Rating: G
- Run Time: 71 minutes
- Starring: The voices of Jason Alexander, Jodi Benson, Barry Bostwick, Maurice LaMarche, and Michael Lerner
- Bonus Features: “Patch’s Twilight Adventure” Game, “Try Again” Music Video, “Lost in London” Game, “You’re the One” Music Video, “Thunderbolt: A Look Inside,” “Behind-the-Scenes Dog-umentary”
- Genre: Animation, Children’s
- Buy It on Amazon.com
I have always been a fan of Disney movies but I have never really liked the straight-to-DVD sequels. I don’t hate them as much as most critics but I don’t go out of my way to watch one either. I haven’t seen “101 Dalmatians” in a long, long time but from what I remember it was a Disney classic. While “101 Dalmatians II” isn’t a disaster that hurts the original, it definitely isn’t any better than average.
“101 Dalmatians II” begins with the family and puppies on the verge of moving to a farm with much more room and safety from the evil Cruella De Vil. Pup Patch accidentally gets left behind but gets to meet his hero Thunderbolt, a dog actor that plays a hero on TV but is actually quite a wimp in real life. When Thunderbolt hears that he is about to die in the next script he sets off with Patch to try to save the day in real life so he won’t be replaced. Cruella De Vil is released from prison and the two must work together to stop her latest devious plan.
Obviously the concept isn’t the best ever but it is still better than most Disney sequels. It would have been nice if Pongo and the other main characters from the first movie would have got a bit more time though. Still, the story serves its purpose and most children should enjoy the film.
Animation is thankfully better than usual for a Disney sequel. It doesn’t hurt that the original came out in 1961 since obviously newer animation is going to look great compared to something so old. Video quality is perfect as is the sound.
Extras are important for a special edition set like this but unfortunately the bonus features are a bit underwhelming. While most of these Disney special edition sets have two discs, this only has one. Only two games, two music videos, a featurette, and a “dog-umentary” are offered. While children and fans of the film should still enjoy the features, I personally didn’t find any of them particularly entertaining.
Despite a few flaws, “101 Dalmatians II” should appeal to children and fans of the original movie. However, If you aren’t a fan of the many Disney sequels, I obviously wouldn’t suggest you pick this one up since it probably won’t change your opinion.
