Like Mike [DVD] [2002]

For Like Mike, which isn't much more than a NBA promotional piece, Fox has done an admirable job on this family oriented DVD. The picture, with both a 1.85:1 anamorphic transfer on one side and the full-frame version on the other, is very natural looking. Colors are well-saturated and detail is precise. There aren't any noticeable distracting elements, resulting in a fine transfer. The 5.1 Dolby Digital English track is adequate for a film like this. There is a some separation of the channels, but for the most part it plays in the front speakers. Often the track seems more in line to appease a certain audience, primarily due to the subject matter. Music is often loud, occasionally muffling the dialogue. Probably the real surprise here is the number of extras that are included. Both sides of the disc contain a commentary by director John Schultz and actors Lil Bow Wow and Jonathan Lipnicki. Is it a good commentary? Not really. There are some interesting notes about the production, but generally Lil Bow Wow comes off as a cocky star and Lipnicki just narrates the scenes he's in. Schultz does what he can, but there's not much you can discuss about this film. On the widescreen side there is also a nice featurette called "Off the Hook and on the Set" which chronicles the production, from rehearsals to scoring the film. On the full frame side are the other extras which include a six-minute "fluff" piece containing interviews with cast, crew, and NBA players. In addition are three deleted scenes with optional commentary from Schultz, a music video from Lil Bow Wow, and a trailer, of all things, for Daredevil. Strangely enough, a trailer for this film isn't included. While Like Mike is certainly not a bad film, this disc is well-produced, making it a good reason to watch the movie.