Kim Possible was a massively successful hit for Disney Channel. Running for four seasons and two movies, the series returned after Kim Possible: So The Drama due to fan demand, breaking the 65-episode rule Disney Channel had at the time. The animated series followed the impossible missions led by teen heroes Kim Possible; her sidekick Ron Stoppable; computer genius Wade, and Ron’s pet Rufus. The animated show also featured numerous over-the-top villains, such as Dr. Drakken and Shego, Monkey Fist, and Duff Killigan. One of the elements that made Kim Possible so successful was that, as an animated series, the show could be as big as it wanted without the restraints of feeling like it needed to be realistic.

However, not all animated shows and movies can successfully make the jump to live-action, and Kim Possible was one that could not quite make it. While the sense of nostalgia was undoubtedly present, and it may have read like a Kim Possible movie or episode, the live-action portrayal removes the charm the original series held onto. The live-action movie stripped away some critical details from the series, such as not making Dr. Drakken entirely blue or removing Shego’s green glow ability. Even the plot twist at the end is basically a re-creation of the events in Kim Possible: So The Drama, taking away from the feeling that it was an entirely new story.

It Lacked The Same Charm

     Disney Channel

Although the 2019 Kim Possible movie shared the same creators as the original series and brought in many of the show’s characters, something did not work about it being a live-action adaptation. Jokes that would have worked in the series seemed off-putting and did not land quite right. Introducing Rufus separately from Ron also added a different layer to the story, rather than leaning into the pre-existing relationship Ron and Rufus had already gained by the first episode of Kim Possible. The movie also tries to add another layer to Kim’s character by digging into the question of insecurity, which in addition to being a far more minor subplot in the show, tries to contradict Kim’s overarching confidence.

Even the frenemy relationship between Kim and Bonnie, which played a significant role in the show, is mostly ignored throughout the movie, other than brief interactions. Even the joke that Mr. Barkin eventually becomes the substitute teacher for all of Kim and Ron’s classes feels more like a callback to nostalgia for the sake of longtime fans due to the lack of history it would have within the movie’s universe.

The Over-The-Top Nature Did Not Adapt Well

Kim Possible villains are loud, big in personality, and mostly incompetent. Their incompetence is comical to the story and adds fun layers to their relationships with each other and Kim and Ron. However, one of the elements that the live-action rendition could not master was the over-the-top elements of the animated series. The benefit of animation is that the creators can do pretty much anything they want, and because none of it needs to look realistic, they can get away with it. The story could be as outrageous as possible, but due to how the show was presented, that was ignored in favor of enjoying the absurd plot lines and characters. It also helps with voice inflection and character facial responses. In the live-action movie, they are all downplayed, given that actual human beings can not match the exaggeration of an animated character.

While the movie may have kept the spirit of the original series, the scenes, such as Dr. Drakken invading Kim’s high school, or Kim’s actual fight scenes, did not have the same fun feeling as how similar scenes are portrayed in the animated series. Of course, not everything translates perfectly when moved from animation to live-action, but some of the most significant parts of what made Kim Possible what it was did not work well.

The Ending Copies The Animated Movie

     Disney Channel | Buena Vista Television

In this case, it has less to do with the movie being live-action and more to do with how the plot twist is nearly identical to what occurs in Kim Possible: So The Drama. In the animated film, Kim and Ron’s friendship is infiltrated when the new guy, Eric, becomes a romantic prospect for Kim. He is not thrown off by Kim’s world-saving actions and portrays kindness and charming behavior that quickly earns Kim’s trust. Ron is not as quick to love Eric, but mainly he is used for Ron to discover he has feelings for Kim, and the central plot between them is through Ron’s jealousy. Kim and Ron do not find Eric is actually the bad guy, created by Drakken and Shego, until after they have tried to save him. The 2019 film shares too similar a plot.

Similarly to the movie, Kim and Ron’s dynamic shifts when someone new comes to town. But, in this case, it is the new girl Athena, taking Monique’s place as Kim’s female best friend and Eric’s place as the imposter. Granted, Kim Possible’s 2019 movie uses Athena differently. Rather than a romantic prospect, she is used as the best friend who manages to one-up Kim in every way, even showing a moment of Kim wondering if Athena will replace her with Ron, too. However, the betrayal is still there when Kim discovers her friend is Dr. Drakken and Shego’s minion. At least, she was. The most significant difference is that Athena had grown to care for Kim. Although the ending is different enough, the concept of having someone infiltrate Kim’s life to mess with her is the key plot twist in both movies.