Kim Possible Movie: So the Drama (2005)

I admit that probably the only reason I'm giving this such a high rating is because Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable are one of my favorite cartoon couples of all time! A pity they've been surpassed by Star and Marco and I'll certainly be glad when those two hook up as well. The funniest part is probably when it shows a sticker that says, "No on 65". This is a reference to Disney's rule about their animated shows having no more than 65 episodes. Turns out they defied this and "Kim Possible" did in fact have another season. It's great to watch a movie based on a show that I'm a fan of.Ron loses his pants three times in his movie! Well, he seemed to bring it on himself the first time around. The action scenes are great and it's great to see these characters work off of each other. The best are of course Dr. Drakken and Shego. I admit that the romance was rushed at the end, but because I love this couple (and romance in general) so much, I had to say it was great. I have high hopes for Star and Marco! ***1/2

It's too bad "Kim Possible" is done, but this movie makes sure it goes out with a bang. There's a great story, filled with true feelings, angst, teenage humor that should make anyone laugh, and some really cool action scenes. It's one of the best animated movies and TV movies out there. It's definitely the best Disney Channel Original Movie, over Johnny Tsunami and The Famous Jett Jackson Movie. This movie provides the great ending that all the fans really wanted (no spoilers here). Kim Possible used to be a show I would watch with my little siblings, but now, three years after it started, I like to watch it on my own. The movie is no different. It's just a great all around movie that's fun for anyone who wants to watch it. Unfortunately, it's not on TV too much anymore, but I believe it's available on DVD, so go out and rent it if you don't buy it.So what's the sitch? The usual, Drakkan is preparing to do one of his "take over the world" schemes, aided by Shego. This time, Kim Possible (Christy Carlson Romano in her trademark role) has a boyfriend, Eric, that she has good feelings about (don't worry, he's cool), while her best friend, Ron Stoppable (Will Friedle, in another great role just for him) starts to realize that HE has feelings for Kim! Well, the movie goes and sticks with what made the show great: the catchy phrases, handy gadgets, Ron in trouble, and of course, Kim saving the day. Go see it!! 8/10 --spy

Even before Season #3, many fans of Kim Possible have been anxiously awaiting the chance for Kim and sidekick Ron Stoppable to go from friends to G-rated teenage lovers, as most shows on The Disney Channel tend to do. But while the promos for this second(not first) animated TV-Movie made it look more dramatic than expected, it's just toned down enough for a Disney movie. And like "Kim Possible: A Stitch in Time," Drakken's evil plot involved the defeat of Kim, along with world conquest.Kim just saved the world from another one of Dr. Drakken's evil plots... or so she thinks. All she really saved was Nakasumi(possibly voiced by Clyde Kusatsu) from a potential kidnapping. Unfortunately, she's the only member of the Middleton Maddog cheerleading squad without a date for the prom, and as far as she's concerned her sidekick's not exactly boyfriend material. Enter a new boy named Eric(voiced by "Phil of the Future's" Ricky Ullman), who our Kimmie-cub suddenly has the hots for. As soon as Ron realizes this, he becomes severely jealous of the new boy. Since this is television, Ron's suspicions about Kim's new beau turn out to be right on the money, because Eric's got a dirty little secret... no he's not a junkie or a closet homosexual, but let's just say he's fake and evil. Meanwhile, Drakken acquires Ron's favorite restaurant chain Bueno Nacho and does away with Naco night, replacing it with a toy in a kiddie meal that every kid wants... the very type of toy Kim was used in to market McDonald's Happy Meals in real life two or three years earlier. Ah, but what nobody realizes until it's too late is that these toys are rigged with super cyber-technology developed by Kim's dad, and stolen by Drakken to be used for(you guessed it) world conquest. As expected from most series-based movies, it has additional CGI-animation to distinguish it from the existing series, but the CGI is a little more impressive than in "A Stitch in Time," even if it's more noticeable than in the first movie. The fight sequences are far more violent than the existing series, and it's a good thing it's just a cartoon, because in some of the fights, the cast would've actually been killed. Still, the idea that Eric would be evil is too much of a cliché for me. I would've liked it better if Eric had been a nephew of Drakken reluctantly being misused for an evil plot against Kim, having to fight both of them off, all the while explaining to Kim that he's nothing like his mad uncle, and then broke up with her over her lifestyle and association with Ron. Now *that's* drama. Then again, perhaps that's stepping too far into Aaron Spelling territory. Another thing it has is a great deal of background music -- so much so that when the closing theme "Could it Be," by Christy Carlson Romano, was released in the fall of 2004, one would have the mistaken impression this was going to be a musical, like the EVEN STEVENS episode "Influenza: The Musical." I've got a feeling she might've also secretly provided the voice of the lounge singer who sang "Someone for Me," at a resort owned by Big Daddy Brotherson, who appeared in the episode "Number One." Okay, so the movie is predictable, but it has a few surprises here and there.This movie was intended to be the final episode, but sadly Disney scrambled the last eleven or twelve episodes out of the order that Mark McCorkle, Bob Schooley, and Steve Loter wanted. As a result, we saw new episodes taking place AFTER "So the Drama" aired. Compare this to MTV, who while offering only half of a sixth season to Glenn Eichler for DARIA, forcing him to truncate the show with five, at least allowed him to use his story arc as he intended. On the other hand, while the DVD of IICY? was edited severely, the upcoming one of StD will be extended. Doesn't seem fair in either case, but for adventure, laughs and a little bit of drama, this movie might be for you.

One of the best things about my new schedule at work is that I can actually watch Kim Possible again. Probably the best thing to ever be shown on the Disney Channel, KP is one part Buffy, one part surreal comedy, and generally insanely clever and funny. Kim is a 15 year old girl who can "do anything" and routinely is called in to save the world from one menace or another (though most often from her arch nemesis, Dr. Drakken). The show is hilarious, not only spoofing everything from the real world to comic books to TV shows, but also building its own crazy continuity that actually works.This new movie, which Disney is touting as her first but which is actually her second (2003's 'A Stitch in Time' was Kim's first film) is quite possible KP's finest hour in a series filled with many brilliant episodes. Much like South Park or Beavis and Butthead, when the creators are tasked with filling up a movie-length plot, they shine like never before.The story centers on Kim (voiced by Christy Carlson Romano), who is shaken up by rival cheerleader Bonnie, taunting her that she doesn't have a boy to take her to the prom. As usual with Kim, her personal life crises are mirrored in the larger plot; once again Drakken (voiced by John Di Maggio) and his uber-competent sidekick Shego (brilliantly voiced by Nicole Sullivan) are out to take over the world, but this time the evil Dr. hatches a plan so complex that not even Shego can figure it out. Making things interesting is that a new man has arrived in town, Eric, and he hooks up with Kim straight away, leaving her best friend and sidekick Ron (voiced by Will Freidle) out in the cold.The movie builds brilliantly on the continuity established in the series: Ron's favorite hangout, Bueno Nacho, is taken over by an evil corporation who proceeds to rob it of everything he loves about it. He also realizes that after all this time, he's actually in love with Kim, and he has no idea how to go about dealing with it. Add to this that Drakken actually starts to win for once, and a hilarious subplot with Kim's rocket scientist dad, and you have the makings of a winner.The film is REALLY funny, even on the KP hilarity scale. When Drakken's plan to take over the world is shown to revolve around happy meal toys, the ensuing shot of millions of two inch cutesy flying red robots filling the skies – imagery taken straight from Communist Soviet propaganda – the juxtaposition is so odd it's hysterical. There are many more moments like that – I don't want to spoil them – but between staying completely faithful to the series and yet growing the characters some, So the Drama manages a nearly impossible feat of topping all the other wonderful KP shows and becoming the high point of the series. It's simply a crime that Disney doesn't release seasons of this show on DVD. It plays on ABC on Saturday mornings, but often at outrageous times, and unless you have the Disney Channel, it can be hard to catch (and weekdays at 5:30 p.m. isn't prime for most adults either). But if you've never even heard of this show, you are really missing out. Do yourself a favor and rent one of the DVDs from Blockbuster (a few half-baked collections of episodes have been released, with little connection between them) and see what you've been missing.