Rating summary
| Movie |  | 2.0 |
| Video |  | 4.0 |
| Audio | | 4.0 |
| Extras |  | 1.0 |
| Overall |  | 3.0 |
101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure Blu-ray Movie Review
"Lightning... do not mourn me when I am gone!"
Reviewed by Kenneth Brown March 10, 2015
101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure pairs nicely with... what? Did you think I was going to mention Disney classic, 101 Dalmatians? Silly reader, Disney direct-to-video sequels aren't for fans of the original films; they're for kids who aren't old enough to spot a cash grab. No, Patch's London Adventure pairs nicely with other non-theatrical Disney sequels, including gems like The Fox and the Hound 2, Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas, The Little Mermaid 2: Return to the Sea, Pocahontas II: Journey to the New World, The Hunchback of Notre Dame II, Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure... and many more than I care to continue listing. (Just realizing how many of these things there are.) While young children will no doubt get a kick out of Patch's London Adventure, it's something of a mess, not to mention hilariously oblivious to the fact that focusing so intently on one Dalmatian pup defeats the entire purpose of a sequel to a film with 101 puppies right there in the title. Even then, that single pup has to share screentime with a Hollywood wonder-dog, which yanks the story farther sideways. The rest is a chore. Cruella De Vil is back of course, because, well, because we're getting the whole gang back together, never mind coming up with a smart way to bring her back into the Dalmatians' lives. Her henchmen bust out of jail, all 101 puppies are eventually in need of saving yet again, and other plot points are lifted liberally from other dog-based animated films.
Why 101 Dalmatians II wasn't bundled with the Diamond Edition release of 101 Dalmatians is a mystery; how Patch's Adventure will sell the number of copies it will inevitably move is even more baffling. The animation, voicework, music and script are mediocre, across the board, and the entire film is unnecessary and tiresome. There are far better Disney movies that deserve your time and money, especially at the high pricepoint it's fetching as a Disney Movie Club and Target timed exclusive and, ultimately, as a wide release available on Amazon and at Best Buy.
Everyone's favorite pups are back. Feisty little Patch (Bobby Lockwood) feels almost invisible alongside Lucky (Ben Tibberas), Rolly (Kath Soucie) and the other puppies, so he cleverly figures out how to make his mark. Inspired by his TV hero, Thunderbolt (Barry Bostwick), Patch bravely leads the charge just as Cruella De Vil (Susanne Blakeslee) and spot-obsessed artist Lars (Martin Short) plot to round up all the Dalmatians in London. As Patch and Thunderbolt embark on a quest to save the dogs from Cruella, they discover their inner strengths and prove once and for all that Thunderbolt is a real-life hero and Patch is a true "One-of-a-Kind Wonder Dog."
101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality
Disney's 1.69:1 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation is faithful to its original Disney Television Animation source. There are minor instances of banding here and there, but by and large, this is Patch's London Adventure as was intended. Colors are flat and washed out, albeit in a way that complements the first film's palette reasonably well, and black levels are satisfying. Detail is in line with the quality of the original animation too, even though the line art and color fills are so smooth that some might suspect the use of noise reduction, which, as far as I can tell, isn't the case. Lines are crisply defined, scruffy, scratchy flicks of the animators' pens have been preserved (again evoking the appearance of the first film), and only a small amount of aliasing creeps in (always along the finest of lines). Thankfully, significant macroblocking, noise and other issues are nowhere to be found, as the presentation handles everything thrown its way with ease.
101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality
Disney's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track isn't all that remarkable, other than in its handling of the direct-to-video sequel's so-so sound design. Voices are clear and intelligible, joined by bright, playful effects that make decent use of the soundfield. The rear speakers aren't aggressive, but then neither is the movie's lighthearted antics. Directionality is commendable (though forgettable), pans are smooth, and the experience is relatively immersive; when, that is, it isn't flat and front-heavy, which is fairly often. LFE output is nice and weighty too, despite a distinct lack of scenes that really draw upon its power. All told, Patch's London Adventure looks and sounds fine, and you shouldn't expect much more.
101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras
- Behind the Scenes: Dog-umentary (SD, 7 minutes): A short DVD-era production featurette.
- Music Video (SD, 2 minutes): "You're the One" by LMNT.
101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation
101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure is an unnecessary, underwhelming direct-to-video sequel to a far better film, and the only worth mentioning is that it's too forgettable to warrant mentioning. Disney's Blu-ray release is a solid one, with proficient video and audio, but it should have been bundled with the first film's BD debut, a la other Disney twofers in recent years. Bottom line, kids might enjoy the lone pup antics of Patch's London Adventure, but fans of the original 101 Dalmatians will find the sequel to be... wait for it... all bark and no bite.
