Growing up in Minnesota in the 1990s, the Mighty Ducks films were an institution in and of themselves. Not only that, but they were also--for the most part--extremely fun kids flicks that ultimately became iconic. As such, it was not surprising to see Disney dust off the property for a reboot of sorts. What was surprising? That "Mighty Ducks: Game Changers" turns out as well as it does.
For a very basic overview, "Game Changers" tells the story of Evan Morrow (Brady Noon), a MN youth hockey player who gets cut by the Ducks, now a soulless institution only concerned with winning titles. Discouraged by the competitive-over-fun model, Evan's mother Alex (Lauren Graham) starts her own team--a rag-tag group of erstwhile kids who know nothing of hockey and just want to have some fun. The first obstacle? Ice time, which brings them to the rink owned by a reclusive former coach--Gordon Bombay (Emilio Estevez).
It would have been really easy for Disney to do the bare minimum with a series like "Game Changers". The Mighty Ducks property alone would have gotten me to tune in regardless of quality (at least to begin with). But it quickly becomes clear that the show-runners actually have some interesting ideas to tackle here. The Ducks being the "bad guys" is a fascinating angle, while the ultra-competitive youth sports scene taps into a very real anxiety in that realm. Those two themes really carry the plot and characters forward all the way through in this show.
Not only that, but my thirty-something nostalgia was satiated by such aspects as the use of the original Mighty Ducks theme (guaranteed to produce goosebumps every time it's played) and the extensive usage of Estevez. Without going into further details, his Bombay isn't just a cameo here. Plus, one special episode even brings back some of the original Mighty Ducks kids for an emotional turn.
My biggest knock on "Game Changers" (why I can't rate it higher than 7/10)? The extremely cheesy and goofy tone it takes from beginning to end. It's a show made for kids, and that's how it should be. But that being said, all but the very youngest of viewers will likely be rolling their eyes along with some of the more saccharine aspects. The original Ducks films were no Shakespeare, to be sure, but they were much more sophisticated and "cool" than anything present here. "Game Changers" is very much a modern Disney production in that sense, playing things extremely socially conscious and safe. It's just something you'll have to accept if you want to appreciate these episodes at all.
Overall, though, I enjoyed "Game Changers" much more than I thought I would. It can be quite cringe-worthy from a bordering-on-dumb comedic sense, but it has just enough interesting themes and nostalgic tugs to keep things fun and engaging. If you grew up with the original trilogy, I'd recommend giving this at least a look.
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