PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie (U)

A meteor crash-lands close to the beating heart of Adventure City and the PAW Patrol pups are suddenly blessed with miraculous powers that allow them to complete ever more daring and dangerous rescues. Skye has always felt like the weakest and smallest pup of the team and now she is empowered by super strength and the ability to fly.

LondonNet Film Review

PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie (PG) Film Review from LondonNet

Every dog has its day, especially the smallest of the litter, in a second feature film extension of the hugely popular PAW Patrol children’s TV series, which has been wagging the tails of young viewers since 2013. Prefaced by the energetic short Dora And The Fantastical Creatures, which celebrates the brightly coloured alebrijes from Mexican folklore, PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie turbocharges the titular canines with powers relevant to their skill sets. Thus, firefighter Marshall summons balls of flame from his paws, aquatic rescue expert Zuma becomes one with water and construction pup Rubble metamorphoses into a wrecking ball…

“New powers, new merchandise. To all the parents out there, I’m sorry,” quips reporter Sam Stringer (voiced by Lil Rel Howery), covering the story for Adventure City News Network. Tongue-in-cheek self-awareness takes infrequent walks in a script penned by director Cal Brunker, Billy Frolick and Bob Barlen, who acknowledge the preposterousness of the central dramatic conceit when junkyard owner Janet (Kristen Bell) explains to her pet goldfish Bruce that PAW Patrol are little puppies that defy canine physiology to drive around in cars. “I know that sounds weird but… just go with it!” she chirrups. Young audiences certainly will, relishing the introduction of a trio of cute Pomeranians aka the Junior Patrollers, who prove that small can be mighty.

Ten-year-old Ryder (Finn Lee-Epp) and PAW Patrol pups Chase (Christian Convery), Liberty (Marsai Martin), Marshall (Christian Corrao), Rocky (Callum Shoniker), Rubble (Luxton Handspiker), Skye (Mckenna Grace) and Zuma (Nylan Parthipan) stand guard over Adventure City from their high-tech Lookout. The team responds to a report of a fire at the junkyard owned by Hank (James Marsden) and Janet (Bell) following the theft of their electromagnet. The culprit is mad scientist Victoria Vance (Taraji P Henson), who intends to harness to power of the electromagnet to attract Meteor X2805 into Earth’s atmosphere so she can harvest precious crystals contained within the fallen space rock.

Her plan backfires. The meteor destroys the PAW Patrol’s Lookout and imbues the pups with extraordinary abilities. Skye hopes her newfound super-strength and an ability to fly will allow her to finally shake off her self-doubt and become living proof of Ryder’s rousing call to arms: “No job is too big, no pup is too small!”

PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie finesses tricks from the pups’ first big screen outing, with a brief appearance by the series’ chief antagonist Mayor Humdinger (Ron Pardo) and his army of moggies. Stakes feel higher in the sequel and Grace’s vocal performance captures Skye’s deep-rooted desire to prove herself, even if that means taking her last bark to protect Adventure City. A brisk running time keeps children’s attention on a comfortable but tight leash.

– Kim Hu