Trying to imagine who the heroes of summer 2021 would be, several animated, first-responder puppies in colour co-ordinated outfits weren’t my first guess. Yet heroes they are - it’s an understatement to say Paw Patrol: The Movie is the best family movie of the summer.
A day trip to the theatre for Paw Patrol is the perfect way to end summer vacation. It’s fun for all ages, smartly designed and the most wholesome thing I’ve seen in a long time.
Frankly, I’m an adult man without children and I had a great time watching this. And it’s not just the best family movie this summer - it’s also the best dog movie in years. I’m also not a dog person, but even I found these pups to be irresistibly fun and charming.
If you haven’t had the honour of being forced the watch the source children’s TV show, the basic premise is there’s a team of rescue puppies in a town called Adventure Bay, where they save the day by performing the (sometimes realistic) duties of first-responders.
Cuter still, each pup is named after their area of expertise. Marshall, for example, is a firefighting dalmatian, while Rubble the bulldog is in charge or construction, demolition and repairs. You get the idea.
For the feature film debut, the pups move to the big city where the buffoonish Mayor Humdinger’s (Ron Pardo) bad municipal management leads to lots of messes for the Paw Patrol to clean up. Moving from Adventure Bay to Adventure City, with higher stakes and more dangerous rescues, is a perfect setup for moving the characters to the big screen.
Everything is in balance - it’s cute and warm while still having just enough plot that’s both easy to follow and intriguing to see what happens next. Young children’s television almost never translates this well to the big screen, and it’s great to see this one get it right.
Director Cal Brunker doesn’t have a great track record, with his previous films being cheap, slapstick comedies such as Escape from Planet Earth and The Nut Job 2. He’s got a real winner with Paw Patrol; it’s easiest the best film of his career, partially thanks to his experience and partially from working with talented co-writers.
One rescue mission, focused on a cloud-catching machine, actually focuses on a surprisingly timely idea: not listening to knowledgeable scientists and trained first responders, even when we think we know better, can lead to disaster.
I’m not suggesting this film is making a political statement about individual responsibility in, say, a global health pandemic, but it's clear Paw Patrol: The Movie’s lessons are equally applicable to adults as they are children.
The animation is eye-popping and clean and the missions are full of heartwarming humour. You’d have to be a soulless monster not to find the beauty in the bright, happy character designs.
These designs, from the humans and animals’ looks and fun outfits to their names and personalities, have a refreshing amount of thought and care put into them. This makes it more interesting and clear for children while also making it more watchable for parents.
A special mention goes to the animators who designed the rescue vehicles - every time I think the convoy of trucks, planes and cars couldn’t get more fun, the pups would push yet another button and show off yet another awesome function.
And the cherry on top is how much great Canadian talent worked on the film! Director Brunker is a Sheridan grad and the show began as a Toronto-based production, with most of the film’s crew coming from the TV show.
Families, including yours, will have a great time at Paw Patrol: The Movie. It’s a great first movie for young kids and a fantastic surprise to have a big-screen adventure that will make everyone smile.
Paw Patrol: The Movie
8 out of 10
G, 1hr 26mins. Animated Family Adventure.
Co-written and Directed by Cal Brunker.
Starring Ian Armitage, Will Brisbin, Ron Pardo, Marsai Martin, Yara Shahidi and Jimmy Kimmel.
Now Playing at Film.Ca Cinemas, the 5 Drive-In, Cineplex Winston Churchill and Cineplex Oakville & VIP.
