By Glenn Kay
For the Sun
Rating: ++
out of ++++
Running Time: 88 minutes
This feature from Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon opens exclusively in cinemas on Friday, Aug. 14.
It may be a strange thing to read, but one day as an adult you come to a point where you become far more familiar with kid’s franchises than you ever thought possible. Truthfully, there is little reason for anyone whose age is a double-digit number to watch Paw Patrol, the Canadian animated series about a group of chatty young puppies who spend their days operating heavy machinery and are employed as emergency service workers. If you’re unfamiliar with the program or associated movies, you’re honestly not missing anything, but youngsters about six or younger find the show utterly compelling.
In Paw Patrol: The Dino Adventure, the team of Ryder (Henry Bolan), Chase (Rain Janjua), Marshall (Carter Young), Skye (Mckenna Grace), Rubble (Lucien Duncan-Reid), Zuma (Nylan Parthipan) and Rocky (William Desrosiers) take part in a rescue mission at sea. After completing the job, their ship gets caught in a storm. They land on an uncharted island filled with dinosaurs, and meet Rex (Hayden Chamberlain), a dog who has survived alone on the island for years.
While the team is initially threatened by the prehistoric beasts, it is quickly determined that they are largely herbivores. Naturally, their discovery attracts the attention of paleontologists, scientists and others, who flock to the island. It also draws the recently paroled Mayor Humdinger (Ron Pardo), who wants to steal a diamond deposit located on the island’s dormant volcano. His attempt to dislodge the jewels sets off an eruption that endangers everyone.
This is the third picture in the series, with each title focusing on a particular pup. This time out the main character is Marshall. This is a benefit to the film, as the fire-dog is one of the most charismatic team members. He’s well-intentioned but clumsy, leading to the central internal conflict.
Marshall becomes frustrated with his own inability to do things perfectly, causing self-doubt when the situation on the island becomes dangerous. Of course, Marshall is eventually reminded that one of his best attributes is his ability to pick himself up and continue when he falls, always managing to get the job done. He faces his biggest test ever when his team ends up trapped during the eruption with lava pouring towards them.
That idea, along with nods to protecting natural habitats from being exploited, is the big underlying message of the movie. And while it’s incredibly simple, it’s a sweet one. The film skewers entirely to youngsters, which means that all elements, from the plot exposition, to the dialogue and the humor, is very simply and directly delivered with little fuss. Alas, that doesn’t make for high drama or tension for adults. Admittedly, most might be hoping for something more to keep their attention, but this technique does speak to five-year-olds, who were all lapping it up around me.
It should also be noted that, despite being a smaller movie than most animated Hollywood fare from Disney and Pixar, the animation here is still vastly superior to what you’d see on the television series. In fact, there are a few impressive images, including a bit in which Marshall and a friendly dinosaur named Rhubarb are hurtled through rapids to a waterfall. The splashing water around the pair looks very convincing. And the climax, featuring large rocks being hurtled into the sky and giant swaths of lava pouring through the island, are convincingly rendered.
In the end, the film manages to incorporate elements of the popular series and Jurassic Park in a safe and gentle manner, offering preschoolers thrills that won’t result in nightmares.
Five years ago, you couldn’t have paid me to watch a film like this. Now, I have a better perspective on this type of picture and think it is the fastest-moving and most enjoyable of the three pictures. Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie may be specifically designed for one particular demographic (and thus my 2.5 rating is really just for adults), but it will definitely entertain its target audience and will rank much higher in their minds.
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