Jackie Chan Adventures: The Dark Hand Returns
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Cast:
Extras: Jackie Chan Interview
Rating:
For some time now Jackie Chan could been seen on television in an animated series called ’Jackie Chan Adventures.’ Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment is releasing these 60-minute segments to DVD and in ’The Dark Hand Returns, ’ we are witness as Jackie and his niece Jade are once again on an all-important mission to save the day from evildoers.
On this single-layer disc from Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment you find a fullscreen presentation of the film, despite the packaging’s incorrect claim that it would be anamorphic. The video is very clean and free of any blemishes or defects, rendering an image that is very stable throughout. Colors are vibrant and lively, perfectly reproduced, and never appear washed out or fuzzy. Edges are very well delineated and without edge-enhancement, the image is just the way it should be without halos or other distracting artifacts. Image detail is very good and the image even brings out hairlines without any problems, showing that the compressions has been done very carefully and at a video bitrate that accommodates the film’s fine lines, edges and solid textures.
The DVD features Dolby Surround audio tracks in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Chinese, all of which are supplemented by easy-to-read subtitles. Since the ’Jackie Chan Adventures’ are fairly recent productions the audio quality is, as expected, very good with a wide frequency response that has good bass and clear high ends that are free of distortion or sibilance. The dynamic range of the track is also good nicely reproducing all aspects of the cartoon.
Apart from trailers, the only extra on this release is an interview with Jackie Chan. The interesting aspect about this interview footage is that the questions are posed by children, while Chan himself is being himself – energetic, funny and very charismatic.
All in all this is a great release in this series of cartoons. Fantastic, engaging, suspenseful, funny and of course full of the Jackie Chan trademarks – only in cartoon form this time – ’Jackie Chan Adventures: The Dark Hand Returns’ is a great release that you should check out, especially if you’ve never seen any of the Adventures. Jackie Chan sure is a worthy Superhero!