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.
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 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 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 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.
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment have announced that they will release 'The Cheetah Girls: One World' for Blu-ray on December 16th, day-and-date with the DVD release. This third installment from the popular made-for-TV movie will be presented in 1080p accompanied ...
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