Spider-Man: The New Animated Series

Compiling all 13 episodes from the first season of the CGI-animated series, Spider-Man: The New Animated Series boasts animation rich in both color and detail, as well as a treasure trove of voice talent (Neil Patrick Harris as Spider-Man, with guest voice stars including Michael Clarke Duncan, Gina Gershon, Eve, Keith Carradine, Rob Zombie, and even Stan Lee). But for all of the talent clicking the computer graphics software and emoting for the microphone, the painful truth is that the scripts themselves are average at best, and they become repetitious very quickly. More often than not, Peter Parker's friends and colleagues seem to mutate into some sort of warped creatures (good pal Max Dillon turns into the high-voltage Electro when a fraternity haze goes awry, lab partner Christina's experimental ESP crown fries her mind and turns her homicidal, Peter's professor injects himself with reptile DNA and becomes a big lizard, etc.), and Spider-Man is inevitably forced to confront the dilemma of smacking down the new evil version without doing damage to the good person within. In other episodes, Spider-Man meets and beats a variety of lame villains ranging from an honorable Asian swordsman to a chic super-thief who stole the heart of his best friend Harry. None of these episodes possess the sass or charm of the comic strip series; taken together they come across as little more than a great-looking exercise in monotony. DVD extras include commentaries, pop-up factoids, bloopers, a “making of,” featurettes, Easter eggs, and more. Not recommended. Aud: P. (P. Hall)