101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure

This pretty much spot-on sequel to Disney's cherished 1961 animated classic boasts a pedigreed voice cast and replicates the original film's look and character design with flair. With 98 brothers and sisters, puppy Patch can't help but feel a little bit lost, especially after he's accidentally left behind when the family moves to their Dalmatian Plantation in the country. Running away to London, Patch meets his TV hero, Thunderbolt (Barry Bostwick), an "overacting ham" who can't function without a script, and whose sidekick, Lightning (Jason Alexander), is scheming to take his place. Meanwhile, Cruella DeVil plans to dognap Patch's family in order to inspire a spot-obsessed artist (Martin Short). Naturally, it will be up to Patch to prod Thunderbolt into helping to save the day. As with the other "next generation" Disney video premieres (The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea, Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure), this sequel is something of a mixed breed, but while the animation does not rate best-of-show honors, it is decidedly better than most television fare, and parents will appreciate that this is more in the spirit of the original film than the crude Home Alone-type slapstick antics of the live-action sequels. Recommended. (K. Lee Benson)[DVD Review—Oct. 14, 2008—Walt Disney, 71 min., G, $29.99—Making its second appearance on DVD, 2003's 101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure (Special Edition) sports a nice transfer with DVD extras including a seven-minute behind-the-scenes “Dog-umentary,” music videos for “Try Again” and “You're the One,” three interactive games and activities (“Lost in London,” “Patch's Twilight Adventure,” and “Thunderbolt: A Look Inside”), and trailers. Bottom line: a decent extras package for a better-than-average sequel.]