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The Wild Thornberrys Movie is another big-screen spinoff of a TV show, where the typically formulaic plot gets a fresher face and a wider aspect ratio. The story itself involves devices seen a hundred times before in far worse movies, but this film's visual style, storytelling finesse and top voice talent propel it past the conventional and into the exhilarating. A British nature show host and his American cinematographer wife travel the Dark Continent with their two daughters, a "bush baby” and a chimp, filming event after event. The movie is, in a nutshell, a long episode with a moral. However the humor and nonstop escapades make for a worthy big-screen adventure.

I think my greatest surprise was how wonderful the music and voice cast were. Paul Simon wrote a tune played both during the film and the end credit number. (Perhaps he's trying to one-up Phil Collins?) Also contributing new material to the soundtrack are Peter Gabriel and Angelique Kidjo, plus a sprinkling of popular tunes by P. Diddy, Youssou N' Dour, Shaggy and The Pretenders. The voice talent is also quite spectacular, with almost every main role taken on by a talented and familiar face: Tim Curry, Rupert Everett, Lynn Redgrave, Marisa Tomei, Alfre Woodard, Tom Kane and the ever-present Flea. If you've got kids, or are just a big kid at heart, catching this one is worth your time.

Video: How Does The Disc Look?

Nickelodeon and Paramount have done an excellent job bringing this one home, setting the standard for the way all "family” films should be presented on DVD. Here they have included two flavors: 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen and on the same side of this dual-layer disc, a full frame version. The Wild Thornberrys Movie takes place in an ultra-colorful world and the transfer handles it fantastically. Hues are perfectly saturated without any smearing or noise. There isn't a great deal of detail in the animation, but what is revealed is present down to the tiniest dot. Black levels are true and solid. I didn't notice any artifacting, and edge enhancement has been kept to a minimum. This is a first rate transfer.

Audio: How Does The Disc Sound?

Along with the outstanding transfer, Paramount and Nickelodeon have put together a fine Dolby Digital 5.1 mix as well. Here is a track that gives that big summer movie feel while not overwhelming the subtleties. Surround use is quite active almost entirely throughout. Right from the start ambient noises and the score fill up the expansive sound stage. The listener is also assaulted with multiple directional effects, especially some fun rear to front pans. The LFE channel constantly underlines the score and effects, the occasional thunderous resonance is reproduced without becoming too boomy. Dialogue is firmly centered and always clear. The 5.1 track is much more than I expected.

There are also English and French Dolby 2.0 surround options included, plus English subtitles and Closed Captions.

Supplements: What Goodies Are There?

This is the only area where this disc falls a bit short. With only a music video for Paul Simon's "Father and Daughter" and some theatrical trailers included, it really leaves you wanting more. Perhaps a behind the scenes featurette with Tim Curry and Rupert Everett and Marisa Tomei? The previews themselves are in a self-running format (i.e. no menu). They include Charlotte's Web II (full, stereo), Spongebob DVD collection (full, stereo), and The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron DVD/VHS collection (full, stereo). The Wild Thornberrys Movie theatrical trailer is also included in non- anamorphic widescreen and 5.1.

DVD-ROM Exclusives: What do you get when you pop the disc in your PC?

There is not a huge amount of PC enhanced material here, just The Wild Thornberrys PC Game Demo. Several levels are playable, which should deliver a fair amount of fun for the young ones. This is not, of course, the same as having the entire game, but a better-than- average demo.

Parting Thoughts