The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers Premiere Review

The latest game news from IGN - one of my fave channels ever - check it out This is a review of the Season 1 premiere of The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, which is currently available to stream on Disney+. [poilib element="accentDivider"] It's been almost 30 years since Minnesota's favorite youth hockey team first skated into our hearts with its compelling underdog story that's deeply relatable, laugh-out-loud funny, and heartwarming. Now, Disney+ hopes to recapture all of those "good feels" from the '90s with its updated take on the franchise, titled The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers. In the series premiere, co-creators Steven Brill, Josh Goldsmith, and Cathy Yuspa manage to successfully balance the series' corny charm with real moments of tenderness and heart. [poilib element="poll" parameters="id=17df9fcd-aee3-4fac-aa51-58dc08e20be0"] If this is your first time watching something set in The Mighty Ducks universe, the first episode does a solid job of explaining its legacy through exposition that's not overly drawn out. Throughout the three films in the '90s, The Mighty Ducks were the up-and-coming team who had to prove that they were worthy of competing against the very best young hockey players the world had to offer. Jump ahead a few decades to the series premiere of Game Changers, and the Ducks are now a hockey powerhouse, winning 10 State Championships in a row. This intriguing twist on the franchise's narrative offers a unique point of view on the Ducks, who are now (at least in the first episode) perceived as the oppressors, with a win-at-all-costs mentality. Most of the story is told through the lens of Brady Noon's Evan Morrow who, after getting cut by the Ducks, decides to build a team of misfits with the help of his mom, Alex (played by Parenthood and Gilmore Girls' Lauren Graham). While the overarching story isn't completely original, it differentiates itself enough from the original films to make it worth the watch. And like its big-screen predecessors, The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers has a dynamic cast of kids with refreshing personalities. One of my favorites from the premiere is Luke Islam's Koob. He's a homebody who would rather stay in his family's basement playing video games than go outside and engage with people. However, he's also blessed with lightning-fast reflexes that make him an ideal goalie for the team. There's also De-Jon Watts' Sam, an aspiring daredevil who loves taking risks but doesn't enjoy following the rules. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/02/24/the-mighty-ducks-game-changers-official-trailer-2021-emilio-estevez-lauren-graham"] The premiere adequately serves its purpose in getting the viewer acquainted with the world and its characters as Evan builds his team, but we don't get a lot of hockey during its 38-minute runtime. This is by no means a deal-breaker, especially since there are still nine more episodes for plenty of action-packed Ice Capades to feast our eyes on. If anything, the series premiere plays everything a bit too safe with its tried-and-true underdog formula. Returning Mighty Ducks alum Gordon Bombay (portrayed once again by Emilio Estevez) is more of a secondary character in the first episode, playing the owner of a decrepit hockey rink. Bombay has no interest in coaching Evan's team, but we don't yet know the reason why. Estevez is (as always) solid in his portrayal of the ex-pro hockey player, but I really wanted him to be more grouchy and callous (a la Mark Hamill's Luke in The Last Jedi). Still, I am looking forward to seeing how his relationship with Alex (Evan's Mom) evolves as the season progresses. Will they pursue something romantic, or just be friends? Time will tell. While the characters are entertaining to watch, the show still feels a bit like it's stuck in the '90s. Where Netflix's excellent Cobra Kai reboot found a way to bring its 35-year-old story into the present by discussing complex adult family dynamics and the redemption of a seemingly washed-up high school bully, Game Changers never quite feels like there's really anything at stake. Its sweetness and innocence deftly pulls on the heartstrings, but the series is missing some much-needed tension (for now) to make Game Changers stand out from similar underdog stories. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=disney-spotlight-april-2021&captions=true"]

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