ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, October 5, 1996 TAG: 9610080029
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 7 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: MOVIE REVIEW
SOURCE: MIKE MAYO CORRESPONDENT
The bottom line on "D3: The Mighty Ducks" is: Better than "2," much thinner than the original, which isn't exactly that substantial itself.
Will that matter to the young fans of the series? Not much, judging by the reaction of the audience at one preview screening. A fairly boisterous crowd of boys and girls ranging in age from about 5 to 12 had a good time at the movies. They were a little restless in the slower scenes (so was I), but they really liked the fast-moving hockey and street skating scenes, and they seemed to get involved with the contrived story.
Even before the opening credits have finished, the Ducks have been given scholarships to the prestigious and snobby Eden Hall prep school.
For those who have missed the first two films, the Ducks are a hockey team composed of lower middle-class kids who manage to represent just about every racial, social and gender group in America. In fact, the Ducks are so ferociously multicultural that they could be poster children for Affirmative Action programs. And, of course, the Ducks' diversity is their strength, despite the opposition of the stuffy administration and their prejudiced classmates. In fairness, the propagandistic elements of the script didn't bother the target audience.
As Charley, the team captain, Joshua Jackson has grown to become an engaging hero. Director Rob Lieberman handles the sports scenes well, even if they are completely predictable. Again, though, that's an unimportant flaw. With this kind of series entertainment, familiarity is a virtue.
Fans of the first two films know what they want to see. So does the Disney organization.
D3: The Mighty Ducks **
A Disney release playing at the Salem Valley 8 and Valley View 6. 104 minutes. Rated PG for pointless swearing, mild bathroom humor.
LENGTH: Short : 42 linesby CNB