They’re underage, over the top, and out of control! They’re Bebe’s Kids, the stars of this hilarious animated film based on the popular characters of the late comedian Robin Harris. Ladies’ man Robin (Faison Love) has a dream date with the beautiful Jamika (Vanessa Bell Calloway)… but it’s about to turn into a nightmare! Jamika shows up with four small but dangerous surprises: her son Leon (Wayne Collins Jr.) and her girlfriend Bebe’s three trouble-seeking kids. When Robin takes the group to Fun World amusement park, the kids take him for the ride of his life!
For thoughts on Bebe’s Kids, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
[youtube https://youtu.be/c93nHMgCOAU?si=XMhL5GYsS40Mdyz3&t=1099]
Video Quality
Bebe’s Kids comes to Blu-Ray courtesy of Paramount with a passable 1080p transfer derived from an older source that could use a refresh. The colors present are the highlight of the disc, showcasing a bit of vibrancy and depth that allows you to appreciate the artistry. Delineation is a bit murky and undefined with an overall soft quality to the animation with intermittent unnatural jagged lines and color bleed. The textures, from the character designs to the environments, are present and consistent for a more defined experience. The natural film grain has not been eliminated, thankfully, but it sometimes resolves poorly and turns into digital noise. Black levels lack an immense amount of depth with signs of banding against certain gradients. Fans of this material will be happy to have it on Blu-Ray at all, but a bit more effort would have been appreciated.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track in English. The audio experience is a much more satisfying experience than the video side of things, never succumbing to any notable age-related anomalies or damage. Dialogue emanates clearly without sound effects or the music trouncing on vital information. The soundtrack is a highlight with these tunes coming through with nice fidelity. The story provides a slightly chaotic atmosphere with bursts of kinetic sound effects during the time at the amusement park. The track handles these environmental effects quite capably. There is a dynamic energy to the proceedings which opens up this world admirably. This track presents everything accurately without much in the way of damage or other unwanted issues. There are optional English SDH subtitles provided.
Special Features
- Itsy Bitsy Spider Short: A seven-minute animated short is provided here in standard definition that finds an exterminator trying to eradicate a pesky spider.
Final Thoughts
Bebe’s Kids is a cult favorite that is likely to appeal more strongly to those who grew up with it rather than newcomers looking at it from a modern lens. The stand-up material that provides the basis for this story is very broadly appealing, and the movie takes the same route of going for the obvious jokes. That being said, there is some fun to be had as the film toes the line between childhood insanity and more knowing adult humor. The vocal performances are very strong and the animation does not feel derivative of other styles in an obvious way. Paramount has released a MOD Blu-Ray with a decent A/V presentation and an additional animated short. If you happen to like this film, this release will work for you. Recommended
Bebe’s Kids can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Paramount Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
