DR. HORRIBLE'S SING-ALONG BLOG

You will LOVE Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog.

As someone who isn't especially into anything sci-fi or comic-booky, I'm not in any obvious demographic for Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. I had never heard of this internet sensation, and to be honest, it took me a moment to place Joss Whedon. Indeed, if I were to go to Comic-Con, I would be considered a nerd. That's why it pleases me to report that I kind of loved Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. It's the funniest thing I've seen in ages.

Obviously there was (and is) a huge built-in audience for anything generated by Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), so if you fall into this category, there's no need to read a review. You will LOVE Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. End of story. If you need a bit more convincing, let me just say, you will LOVE Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog.

Neil Patrick Harris stars as Billy, an ordinary young man desperate to perfect his alter-ego Dr. Horrible and join the Evil Leage of Evil. It's difficult enough pulling off heists and getting his evil gadgets to work, but the interference of his archnemesis, Captain Hammer (Nathan Fillion) only makes things harder. Worse yet, Billy has been pining after Penny (Felicia Day) for ages, and now Captain Hammer is poised to steal her away from him.

The drama unfolds in three tidy acts, and is told through Dr. Horrible's spoken blog entries, witty songs and musical numbers, and traditional action sequences. Every moment of the film is cheeky, self-aware, and darkly funny. Neil Patrick Harris is the perfect blend of the boy next door and an evil genius, and he is remarkably apt at tackling the tongue-twisting lyrics he's made to sing. Nathan Fillion is equally brilliant as the sleazy, crass Captain Hammer. Somehow you just don't expect someone as cute as he is to sing a song including the words, "unless you're a frickin' 'tard you'll do just fine." And finally, Felicia Day is pitch-perfect as Penny, a soft-spoken idealist just trying to make her way in the world. As comical as it all is, there's something compelling about this love triangle, and when the film reaches its shocking conclusion, it's hard not to feel a little heart-broken...you know, in the moments before you start laughing again.

With a running time of 42 minutes, I'm not sure it's even safe to call Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog a film. It's more like a crazy, clever, silly slice of happiness. As such, I'm willing to bet that it puts a smile on your face.

DVD NOTES

DVD extras include commentary with the cast and creator, "Commentary: The Musical" which finds the cast and crew singing about everything but the movie, behind-the-scenes featurettes, and the top ten video applications submitted by fans who want to join the Evil League of Evil. Easter eggs include a blooper reel, rehearsal footage, and interviews with the members of the Evil League of Evil. Incidentally, the extras are 50 minutes longer than the film itself, so somebody out there went out of their way to make this purchase worthwhile.