Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.0

The Cheetah Girls: One World Blu-ray Movie Review

The Cheetah Girls: the high definition experience!

Reviewed by Martin Liebman January 10, 2009

This is our Cheetah destiny!

Nothing screams "Disney Channel" quite like The Cheetah Girls: One World. Okay, maybe High School Musical, Hannah Montana, or Camp Rock beat it out for the face of pure Disney tween-centric entertainment, but this trio (formerly a quartet, apparently) of closely-knit girls do represent what Disney Channel entertainment is all about. Originally aired on August 22, 2008, the studio wasted little time bringing the singing sensations to Blu-ray, though leaving the first two films in the series for some future release date. Nevertheless, here they are in high definition glory, singing and dancing about togetherness, love, and dreams, this time their "one world" threatened by a most unique and challenging circumstance.

One world!

The Cheetah Girls, Chanel (Adrienne Bailon), Dorinda (Sabrina Bryan), and Aqua (Kiely Williams), minus former member Galleria, are college-bound and down on their luck, failing to land any gigs that could lead them to big time stardom. The film begins with a song and dance number meant to reinforce the bond the girls share and how nothing can break that bond. After another letdown, the girls unwind at an Indian restaurant where, as fate would have it, they receive a call to audition for a role in a movie! The girls are a success and are hired on the spot by the film's young director, Vik (Michael Steger). When they are told it is a Bollywood rather than a Hollywood production, Aqua and Dorinda balk at the offer, but Chanel, instantly attracted to Vic, convinces them to make the trek to India and star in the film. Matters are further complicated when the girls learn that the script and budget will only allow one of them to star in the movie. As the girls adjust to Indian life and try to come to terms with the fact that the group may be broken up so only one may shine, they each find new or rekindle old loves, make new friends, and just maybe, come out of this difficult situation closer than ever.

The Cheetah Girls: One World is a by-the-numbers pop musical that plays out exactly as most any viewer could guess, whether they are longtime fans of the Girls or newcomers settling in to take in their first Cheetah Girls experience. While the film definitely offers up a strong message on the importance of the bonds of friendship, trust, and love, strong storytelling plays second (in this case, really, third) fiddle to the intertwined messages and music. While the film does feature a coherent, easy-to-follow plot, strong storytelling definitely remains in the background, overshadowed by the glitz, glamour, girls, and music prominently on display throughout the film. The film also requires no thinking cap, as every plot development may be seen coming from half a world away. Criticisms aside, The Cheetah Girls: One World accomplishes all it needs to, namely drawing in record-breaking audiences. Considering that it, along with the other tween-centric franchises currently dominating the Disney airwaves, continues to produce high ratings, more power to the network. Disney has obviously found a formula for success, and while films like The Cheetah Girls: One World won't appeal to many audiences, this and other films like it fill a profitable and desirable niche, much like the Saw films do, though on the complete opposite end of the entertainment and target audience spectrum.

Still, even for casual fans, newcomers, or just the curious, The Cheetah Girls: One World is, just maybe, worth watching. The Cheetah Girls: One World easily surpasses the dreadful High School Musical 2, offering more likable characters, a better plot, and finer, more attractive, and definitely more exotic shooting locations. While the music may be a wash between the two, and virtually interchangeable, there is no denying the tunes heard throughout One World are, for the most part, catchy, and like any musical worth its salt, they convey the emotions, drama, and circumstances of each scene they accompany, follow, or foreshadow. Many of the numbers feature an Indian flair intertwined with the standard sound of bass-heavy American pop. Of course, none of them are remotely memorable, and it is virtually guaranteed that nobody will hum "Cheetah Love," "No PLace Like Us," or "Crazy on the Dance Floor" fifty years from now as they still do "My Favorite Things," "Do-Re-Mi," and "Edelweiss" today, for example.

The Cheetah Girls: One World Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Disney presents The Cheetah Girls: One World on Blu-ray with an eye-catching 1080p, 1.78:1-framed transfer. While the quality is good, it definitely features a made-for-TV look. Flesh tones veer towards the red side of the spectrum, particularly early on. Surprisingly, colors are not nearly as vibrant as expected during the film's opening act. There are many to see, but there is a dark look to the film that doesn't let the bright colors shine. There is plenty of noise over select shots, but for the most part, the image is clear and smooth. Once the film moves to India, the image seems to open up, showing more depth, vibrancy, attention to detail, and most importantly, color. Colors absolutely pop off the screen, and the ornate interiors of the India locales generally look fabulous. Backgrounds are usually sharp and clear, with excellent detail in both foreground and background images. Black levels are decent, sometimes appearing a bit too bright. All in all, The Cheetah Girls: One World looks about as expected once the film gets going, namely bright, colorful, and glitzy.

The Cheetah Girls: One World Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Cheetah Girls: One World comes alive on Blu-ray thanks to a quality PCM 5.1 uncompressed soundtrack. The audio accompanying this film, no surprise, is rich, bass-heavy, and full of spunk and vigor, reproducing the numerous pop numbers with a robust presence and nice clarity. It is somewhat loud at reference level, and even fans of this style of music might be reaching for the remote to turn it down. Still, at lower volumes, the music is plenty vibrant and exciting. Throughout the show, bass levels vary; some of the songs offer only subtle bass while others will positively rattle the floorboards and reverberate through the chest cavity. All of them flow through each speaker with excellent clarity and fidelity, allowing listeners to absorb every last note as they were intended to be heard. Outside the music, the track is very average. It is dialogue- and front-heavy, with little in the way of immersive atmospherics to bring the imagery to life. However, dialogue reproduction is never problematic. Though not the best soundtrack on the market, The Cheetah Girls: One World is a fine offering, one that should easily placate even the most die-hard of fans.

The Cheetah Girls: One World Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Cheetah Girls: One World dances onto Blu-ray with only a few extras. First up is a short blooper reel (1080p, 2:30). Backstage Disney features an extra entitled Cheetah Spots. This is a pop-up trivia track with facts as voted on by online users around the world. Three music videos are also included -- "One World" (480p, 4:02), "Cheetah Love" (480p, 3:12), and "Dance Me if You Can" (480p, 4:02). Rock Along With the Movie helps viewers sing along to their favorite songs from the movie with an onscreen karaoke presentation. Also included are trailers for Pinocchio, Earth, Space Buddies, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, and Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure, along with brief advertisements for Disney Movie Rewards and Disney Parks. Concluding the supplements is BD-Live (Blu-ray Profile 2.0) functionality.

The Cheetah Girls: One World Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Cheetah Girls: One World is a decent enough throwaway movie that should excite its core audience and leave anyone else watching moderately entertained, though certainly not engaged or calling for an encore presentation. The movie is what it is, accomplishes all that is asked of it, and who can fault that? This Blu-ray release should be a moderate hit among fans, as it boasts well above average picture and sound qualities, though many will likely be disappointed with the scant offering of bonus materials. But hey, it does come with a package of glitter tattoos. You can't beat that! The Cheetah Girls: One World comes recommended for its target audience.