101 Dalmatians II : Patch's London Adventure [2002] - Region 2 DVD

The story, too, is pure Disney--a tale of one puppy's efforts to find his own identity and calling--but it has a fair smattering of the wisecracks that have characterised more modern successes such as Toy Story and Monsters, Inc. The character voiceovers are noticeably short on big-name stars, but that at least ensures that the English accents are actually English and not some misplaced American interpretation. They may have missed the target on more than one occasion recently, but with 101 Dalmatians II Disney has got considerably closer to hitting the bull's-eye.

On the DVD: 101 Dalmatians II is an excellent DVD package and has plenty to keep the kids amused. The behind-the-scenes documentary is presented in a bright and breezy style ("this is Bob, he's an animator") and there is an excellent, educational interactive game. While Gareth Gates contributed to Lilo & Stitch, Will Young is the musical attraction here with a decidedly average and surprisingly low-budget video. The hand-drawn animation looks splendid on the digital format with its rich colours and depth and the soundtrack is suitably vibrant. --Phil Udell