Atlantis: Milo’s Return

Click to Buy	Ratings Summary (Scored out of a maximum of five)
	Audio		Video
	Goodies		Interface
	Value

The Movie

While this disc does not have a “2” in the title, it is a very
close relative to those forgettable direct-to-video sequels like Cinderella
2 and Tarzan & Jane. At least this one does not purport
to be “an all-new full-length movie,” and knowing that there
are actually three short stories in advance helps lower your expectations
to the “cheap, animated television series” level. Watching this
disc with any more expectation than that will only lead to bitter disappointment.
It is as simple as that.

For those of you still interested in finding out what is on the disc,
here is a quote from the press release:

In Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Milo Thatch and company
located the famous underwater city and saved the mysterious kingdom
and all of its people. Now, in Atlantis: Milo’s Return, Milo, Kida and
their crew gear up for more action. The team must leave Atlantis to
discover what mysterious powers are causing trouble in a new, fantastic
location. Atlantis: Milo’s Return features original cast members Cree
Summer (“Rugrats In Paris”) as Princess Kida, John Mahoney
(“TV’s Frasier”) as Preston Whitmore, Jacqueline Obradors
(TV’s “NYPD Blue”) as Audrey and the Nurse, Don Novello (“Just
One Night”) as Vinny, Corey Burton (“Treasure Planet”)
as Mole, Phil Morris (TV’s “Seinfeld”) as Dr. Sweet and Florence
Stanley (“Bulworth”) as Mrs. Packard.

From the dusty deserts of the Southwest to the icy heights
of the Nordic mountains, the team’s newest quest sets them against gigantic
sea monsters, spectacular spirits and powerful legends. In the midst
of their excursion, Kida discovers the awesome power of her city’s enchanted
crystals and, ultimately, must decide whether it is wiser to hide the
Heart of Atlantis or share its light with the rest of the world. Hold
your breath and get ready to dive into a world of excitement with the
all-new adventures of Atlantis: Milo’s Return.

Sounds exciting, doesn’t it? A better way to picture this disc is to
have you mentally put the cast of Atlantis into three random Scooby-Doo
episodes, and then you will be pretty close to how the individual shows
actually come across. Actually, the Scooby-Doo episodes would probably
be more entertaining.

Promotional image © Disney.

The Goodies

There are only two bonus items on this disc, and only the game is remotely
worth looking at. The “deleted scene” simply shows you the last
10 seconds or so of the last short, which essentially reveals that one
of the monsters will be returning in a future television series or DVD.
As for the game, it is an underwater 3-D exploration game along the lines
of most of the other Disney set-top games. You use your DVD remote to
navigate around a maze of objects. It is interesting but hardly compelling.

Promotional image © Disney.

The Video, Audio and Interface

Given the rather uninspired nature of the disc content, the video and
audio are actually pretty decent. The animation is not really enhanced
by the anamorphic widescreen transfer, but I would rather see Disney consistently
deliver transfers like this over full-frame ones, when or if possible.
The audio is nothing outstanding, but it delivers to my expectations for
a contemporary direct-to-video title. As for the interface, it has audio
cues, animated screens, and animated transitions, but it is nothing out
of the ordinary for most Disney DVDs.

Promotional image © Disney.

The Final Evaluation

Just save your money and let this one submerge into the dark depths of
the Disney vault. If you are yearning for a movie or DVD featuring submarines
and adventure, this is simply not the one to get. Instead, reach for 20,000
Leagues Under The Sea, and you and your family will be much happier
with your purchase.