MINUTEMEN
(TV-G)
MOVIE: ***1/2 (out of 5)
DVD EXPERIENCE: ** (out of 5)
STARRING
Jason Dolley as VIRGIL FOX
Luke Benward as CHARLIE TUTTLE
Nicholas Braun as ZEKE THOMPSON
Chelsea Staub as STEPHANIE JAMESON
Steven R. McQueen as DEREK BEAUGARD
Directed by: Lev L. Spiro
Studio: Disney Channel
BY KEVIN CARR
The only real beef I’ve ever had with the Disney Channel is that the programming often skews towards girls rather than boys. In a way, I can’t blame them. Just look at the concert and box office receipts from anything Hannah Montana to the theatrical flop of the “Speed Racer” movie, and it’s clear that tween girls have more influence over their parents’ wallets than tween boys.
However, it seems that the station is starting to swing to the boy’s side a little bit more. Two of the biggest shows are “Cory in the House” and “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody,” which helps balance out “Hannah Montana” and all the “High School Musical” hubbub.
Stepping off from his success in “Cory in the House,” Jason Dolley stars in the Disney Channel Original Movie “Minutemen.” The story follows several nerds in high school who discover the power of time travel. There’s a catch in that they can only travel back in time two days, but that gives them enough power to prevent embarrassing events to their nerd buddies. However, when overusing the time travel device starts to unravel the social structure of the high school along with the space-time continuum, they have to fix things.
Ever since I was a child, I have enjoyed science fiction, and this time travel element in “Minutemen” gives it a facet that made me feel like a kid again. The film is far less formulaic than what I’ve seen before, and that’s great to watch. Add to the fact that it appeals to boys, and I found this to be a real winner. And for the adults, look for the “Back to the Future” references, which will go over the heads of most kids.
“Minutemen” spreads the DCOM demographic a little wider and gives viewers relatively unique story. There’s also room for a sequel, which should be coming soon.
The DVD comes with a Backstage Disney segment that shows how the film was shot with all the special effects. There’s also a music video by Corbin Bleu, so that should placate the girls for this release. Finally, there’s an extended ending on the disc that wasn’t seen on the original Disney Channel broadcast.