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.
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.