NEW YORK (OSV News) — Everyone’s favorite team of canine first responders go Jurassic with “Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie” (Paramount). Yet, although there are enough hazardous situations in the movie to preclude endorsement for easily frightened tots, none of the danger is posed by the dinos themselves, who turn out to be more cuddly than carnivorous.
In an adventure that can be endorsed for all but the smallest, the rescuers and their youthful human leader, Ryder (voice of Henry Bolan), are caught in a storm at sea and blown off course to a previously uncharted island where dinosaurs continue to thrive. Though they’re initially alarmed by this discovery, their anxiety is soon calmed by a fellow castaway they encounter.
Rex (voice of Hayden Chamberlain), a Bernese mountain dog whose paralyzed back legs are mounted on wheels, explains that he has been stranded on the island for some time and has befriended its natural inhabitants. The outsized creatures are not only harmless, Rex assures his new acquaintances, but amiable.
As the sensational news spreads, scientists arrive on the isle to study the situation. So, too, does the patrol’s longstanding nemesis, their hometown’s scheming mayor, Humdinger (voice of Ron Pardo). He’s learned from TV coverage of the newly discovered territory that it contains vast diamond deposits and he’s out to exploit them by whatever reckless means he can employ.
Humdinger’s folly is used, in returning director and co-writer Cal Brunker’s addition to a franchise that began on Canadian television, to send a message about responsible stewardship. The screenplay — penned with Bob Barlen — also employs plot developments involving Marshall (voice of Carter Young), an accident-prone dalmatian, to teach young viewers two other lessons.
The first is that no one is perfect. The second is that persistence in the face of adversity will eventually be rewarded. Add to these wholesome themes the implicitly pro-life portrayal of Rex and parents will likely find the congenial proceedings very much to their taste, a bit of potty humor notwithstanding.
The film contains frequent perilous situations and brief scatological comedy. The OSV News classification is A-I — general patronage. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.
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