Disney’s DuckTales: Destination Adventure DVD Review
THE SET-UP
Scrooge McDuck, joined by Huey, Dewey, Louie, and Webby, travels the globe on a series of adventures. Featuring the voices of David Tennant, Tony Anselmo, and Ben Schwartz.
Episodes included in this DVD set are “The Beagle Birthday Massacre!” (Episode 1.4), “The Living Mummies of Toth-Ra” (Episode 1.8), “The Impossible Summit of Mt. Neverrest!” (Episode 1.9), “The Spear of Selene” (Episode 1.10), “Beware the B.U.D.D.Y. System! (Episode 1.11),” and “The Missing Links of Moorshire!” (Episode 1.12).
THE DELIVERY
80s and 90s nostalgia is all the rage now, so it makes sense that Disney would reboot its signature series from the era, “DuckTales” (sorry “TaleSpin,” but we give the edge to the ducks here).
Disney didn’t skimp on the new series, choosing to go with traditional hand-drawn animation over 3D CGI animation. They also assembled a top-notch cast, with David Tennant voicing Scrooge McDuck, and Huey, Dewey, and Louie voiced by Danny Pudi, Ben Schwartz, and Bobby Moynihan, respectively. Kate Micucci voices Webby, who was first introduced in the original series as a supporting character but is now on equal footing with Huey, Dewey, and Louie.
There’s even an impressive list of guest stars providing voices, including Margo Martindale, Michael Chiklis, and Nia Vardalos. Hamilton composer and Pulitzer Prize winner Lin-Manuel Miranda even shows up for an episode as a hapless lab assistant who moonlights as Gizmoduck (sorry, spoiler). Tony Anselmo also appears as Donald Duck in several episodes.
Oh yeah, voice actor extraordinaire Jim Cummings cameos as Darkwing Duck in an episode, which should make every 90s kid giddy.
This new incarnation is not only faithful to the original series, it strikes a new direction that appeals to young kids who catch the series on Disney XD. Parents and fans of the original series will enjoy it as well, as the humor is smart and genuine. Any parent who has had to endure what passes as children’s entertainment will appreciate what they’ve done here.
“DuckTales” continues the tradition of fun adventure the original series captured, and emphasizes the importance of family and a quest for learning that kids need to see reinforced on television. It’s entertaining, classic Disney.
Note: The DVD only includes six episodes from the series’ first season – the exact episode numbers are noted above. They are included in the set because they share the common theme of travel and adventure, and is not a collection of all the episodes from the season. That collection has not been released yet.
VIDEO AND AUDIO
The standard definition DVD features an image that isn’t nearly as sharp as you might see on Blu-ray, obviously, but this DVD is meant as a sampler for kids who enjoy the new series, so this release is a budget-minded answer for them. Still, the video features nice detail and the colors are bright and bold.
The audio is a 2.0 Dolby Digital soundtrack, and sounds surprisingly good, even without the multiple-channel presentation.
SPECIAL FEATURES
There isn’t much in the way of extras, but if you’re a fan of the original “DuckTales” series, you’ll be happy nevertheless.
Two “bonus” episodes from the original series are included: “New Gizmo-Kids on the Block,” which aired in November of 1990, and “Ducky Mountain High,” which aired in September of 1990. They are a nice piece of nostalgia and it’s a nice gesture to fans of the original series to include them here.
You do also get a Disney Movie Rewards code, which gives you points to redeem for merchandise online.
THE BOTTOM LINE: The new DuckTales delivers the fun and nostalgia.
For those who grew up loving the original series, this new incarnation of “DuckTales” is a fun and faithful slice of nostalgia. Kids will enjoy it as well, and Disney delivered a quality show with a great voice cast and entertaining storylines.
DVD SPECS
Release Date: June 5, 2018
Running Time: 135 minutes
Rating: TV-Y7
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Audio: English Dolby Digital 2.0
Subtitles: English for the Hearing Impaired, French, Spanish
Special Features: Two classic “DuckTales” episodes, Movie Rewards code.
Label: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Click here to order DuckTales – Destination: Adventure! on DVD from Amazon.
