‘Call me, beep me’ if you’re wondering how live-action film lives up to original series

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Courtesy of Creative Common

‘Kim Possible’ is the first cartoon to live-action adaptation on Disney Channel.

The new live-action movie “Kim Possible” premiered on Disney Channel on Feb. 17, bringing a whole new meaning to the question, “What’s the sitch?”

From the moment the movie begins, lovers of the cartoon series will realize that this isn’t the answer to their incessant pleas for Disney to revive some of their television classics. Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing is up to you.

The movie kicks off with Kim Possible, played by Sadie Stanley in her debut movie performance, delivering exposition on how Kim Possible came to be as she flies across the screen on her jetpack over an exceedingly CGI ravine to foil the evil plot of Professor Dementor.

The first fight scene indicates how much time and money was spent on the movie. Each punch, kick and fall is heavily exaggerated and redolent of classic Power Rangers fight scenes that now look over-choreographed and fake. Exteriors like hidden lairs, Kim’s house and Bueno Nacho are CGI recreations that strain far from realistic.

However, Interior set designs were still incredibly well-designed and complex. The team for the movie took many creative liberties when deciding what elements they wanted to change, such as opting to give Dr. Drakken thick, blue veins that pop out of his neck rather than douse him head-to-toe in blue and ditching Dementor’s red suit and chin strap goatee.

The main plot revolves around two main stories of Kim starting her first day at highschool, where she is trying out for the soccer team instead of the cheer team (a team which she ends up being the equipment manager of in a very “un-possible-like” move), and yet another attempt by Dr. Drakken and Shego to take over the world and “steal the spark,” as Drakken says, from “Kim Possible.”

For those who are looking for those nostalgic Disney moments within this film, you’ll still find them— there may only be a handful of moments where it happens, though. Elements such as the original show’s theme song and the “Kimmunicator” beep prove this, although the pda-like device has been swapped for a hologram necklace.

The original voice of Kim Possible, Christy Carlson-Romano, makes a surprise appearance as a musician named Poppy Blu. Additionally, seeing the Bueno Nacho food brought to life is satisfying yet painfully tantalizing. CGI Rufus is the finest CGI work the movie touts. Sadly, Disney did not include Monique as Kim’s other best friend and instead subs her for a girl named Athena, who becomes essential to driving the movie’s plot.

As for the acting, most of the actors performances left a lot to be desired like Ron Stoppable (Sean Giambrone of “The Goldbergs”), who uses a labored voice that seems like an attempt to mimic the cartoon but comes across as a Wisconsin accent hybrid. The movie does possess a cast with quite a few seasoned actors, like Alyson Hannigan, and Patton Oswalt, who lent his voice to play Remy in “Ratatouille,” but even their abilities seem forced and contrived.

While the movie does strike a sour note for legacy followers of the series, it is still somewhat good for what it is if you look at it on its own. It most definitely aligns with the target audience Disney Channel was going for. Disney did not shoot to make a movie to satisfy their previous audience. This movie is for the next generation of Disney-goers, painstakingly evident from the line “Fam, settle down,” that Kim delivers.  While it might pain many to see some of their favorite characters butchered or detrimentally rewritten, it’s still enjoyable to see the return of such beloved themes and characters.