Dog’s Day
It’s not Hayao Miyazaki but these dogs are alright.
Paw patrol: The MIghty Movie
Director: Cal Brunker • Writers: Cal Brunker, Bob Barlen
Starring [English]: Mckenna Grace, Taraji P Henson, Marsai Martin, Finn Lee-Epp, Ron Pardo, Lil Rel Howery, Christian Convery, Alan Kim, Brice Gonzalez, Luxton Handspiker, Callum Shoniker, Christian Corrao, Nylan Parthipan
Canada • 1hr 33mins
Opens Hong Kong September 28 • I
Grade: B
Hey, hey, hey. Everyone’s favourite talking, driving, heavy equipment-operating pooches are back. There have been a few cast changes since PAW Patrol: The Movie in 2021. Given these pearl-clutching, fragile times, the assumption is going to be that director Carl Brunker and his crew swapped out some of the cast voices for more diversity, to appeal to the “libs”. In reality, lest we forget, the youthful cast probably hit puberty and went from sounding like kids to awkward teens overnight. Or they got busy with a little thing called school. Either way, it makes not a lick of difference for PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie, the less episodic and more cinematic follow-up to the first modest hit.
Based on the long-running television series (250+ episodes and counting), The Mighty Movie calls in some high-profile Hollywood favours for cameos again (Chris Rock, Serena Williams, James Marsden, Kristen Bell, and – gack – Kim Kardashian and some of her brood) for the rescue squad’s second adventure. If you had kids that came of PP age in the last few years, here’s the short version: A kid named Ryder and his crew of puppy dogs protect their home, Adventure City, from all manner of misfortune. That’s it. But if the little arms waving in the air and pointing at the on-screen derring-do is any indication, this shit’s awesome.
Puppehs!
This time around, Ryder (newcomer Finn Lee-Epp) and his six pups – Chase the police dog, Dalmatian firedog Marshall (get it, fire marhsall?), cleaner Rocky, bulldozer Rubble, water rescue dog Zuma and Top Gun Skye – welcome a new addition to the team, dachshund Liberty (Marsai Martin), who we meet on their first mission saving the local junkyard from burning down. Turns out mad scientist Victoria Vance (Taraji P Henson, clearly having a grand old time) wanted the industrial magnet crane so she could capture a meteor (!) that’s speeding past Earth and mine it for its special power source. Okay, sure.
Meanwhile, smallest pup Skye (Mckenna Grace) is having a personal crisis. She’s a runt, and though she flies a jet – a jet! – she feels like she’s not as useful to the Patrol as the rest. When Ryder and Co. collect the meteor, save Adventure City and throw Vance in jail, they discover its magic power and swiftly get turned into superheroes: the Mighty Pups. They also get new uniforms. Naturally, Vance partners with cellmate Mayor Humdinger (Ron Pardo) and his posse of pussies (rude!), to get “her” meteor back, and wouldn’t you know it? It’s down to the insecure Skye to feel her value and save the day.
Look, if you’re over the age of about six or eight, or you’re accompanying a six-year-old and legitimately think you’re going to get something that shakes the foundation of animated and/or kids movies you’ll be SOL. But PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie is mission accomplished for its target audience and doesn’t need to do anything else. There were plenty of “Ooohs!” and “Aaahs!” and “Oh, no!” at my preview screening. It’s bright, it’s fun, has a couple of legit zingers and it’s got a solid if familiar message about inner strength and being true to one’s identity despite crushing uncertainty. ’Nuff said. Skye, the leftover runt, and Liberty, whose powers don’t initially reveal themselves, tell a dual-track story about not letting your insecurities define you and rising to face your challenges regardless. PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie zips by in a flash, and like the first film. goes deeper than expected on the internal lives of one of the pups to spotlight a specific emotional state on a level children understand. What more do you really need? If that’s not enough it’s preceded by a Dora the Explorer short, Dora and the Fantastical Creatures, and if you think there’s pointing and muttering during The Mighty Movie, hold on to your shorts during that. — DEK
*PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie was reviewed during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labour of the writers and actors currently on strike, it wouldn't exist.