DVD Review
'Aquamarine'
Sara Paxton as the titular mermaid in 'Aquamarine'
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Cute features and a giggle-filled commentary accessorize the tween comedy
Starring actresses familiar to the tween set, the comedy stars Emma Roberts ("Unfabulous") and Joanna "JoJo" Levesque (pop singer, "RV") as best friends Claire and Hailey who soon discover that they'll be parted when Hailey's mother gets a job halfway around the world. So, they have one last summer to kick it at Florida's fictional Capri Club. One day, after a fierce rainstorm, they discover a perky mermaid named Aquamarine (Sara Paxton from "Darcy's Wild Life") who has three days to find true love or else her dad will force her to marry against her will.
While the film didn't really make a huge splash in theaters, it had all the elements to please its target audience and should enjoy a decent life on video. The numerous extras are hit or miss, but with so many to choose from, kids will appreciate a couple as a supplement to the feature presentation.
Skip over the deleted scenes and the director's commentary. The scenes were cut for a reason, and even though one or two may elicit chuckles, they really don't add anything new. Director Elizabeth Allen and producer Susan Cartsonis take their commentary seriously -- almost too seriously -- practically giving a Film 101 course in which they define what ADR is and how shots are created. Budding filmmakers may find this interesting, but the delivery is extremely soporific.
The cast's scene-specific commentary, which addresses many of the same points, will be much more appealing to the kids. Although Roberts, Levesque and Paxton giggle as much as they inform, they do get around to some fun tidbits including how Paxton would use foul language in order to get the proper reaction from her co-stars and how her breasts had to be obscured.
Six, count 'em six, featurettes crowd the disc. The silliest one by far is "Aqua's Squeals," which is basically a clip show -- introduced by dolphins, no less -- of Paxton's strange nonverbal vocalizations throughout the film. For more antics, the little ones will enjoy "Kickin' It on the Set," which is compilation of flubs, outtakes and hijinks on the set.
"It's All About Fashion" and "Mermaid Makeover" give some behind-the-scenes info about the girly stuff in the film, while in "Building the Capri Club," production designer Nelson Coates thankfully keeps this featurette light and non-technical, sharing info such as the different lingo he had to get used to filming in Australia and how crew member names were used in the clubhouse.
"Awesome Auditions" is the most intriguing extra solely for Paxton's impressive tryout in which she changes her mood effortlessly and explains about the poignant memory that allowed her to cry on cue in the audition.
Overall, "Aquamarine" is a solid addition to a child's home video library and contains enough extras to change up repeat viewings.
STUDIO: Fox Home Entertainment
RELEASE DATE: June 13
RATING: PG
PRICE: $29.98 each
TIME: 103 min.
DVD EXTRAS: Director and producer commentary; cast scene-specific commentary; deleted scenes; "Awesome Auditions" featurette; "It's All About Fashion" featurette; "Kickin' It on the Set" featurette; "Building the Capri Club" featurette; "Mermaid Makeover" featurette," "Aqua's Squeals" featurette
INTERNET SITE: For more info go to www.foxhome.com/aquamarine/
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