PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie

andrewtislercinephile

*Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie* continues the franchise's streak of fun, action-packed movies about one boy and a team of puppies rescuing people from danger by transporting our furry little friends from the mean streets of Adventure City to an island full of dinosaurs. The visuals, humor, action, and storyline all vibed with me perfectly, with my favorite thing being that Marshall's backstory wasn't about a traumatic reason for him being clumsy, but instead he chose to continue pursuing his goals despite his clumsiness. That's a refreshing take on the clumsy person trope as it shows clumsiness is a choice, not a medical condition that needs to be treated. Keeping Adventure City briefly shown in the opening but still visible ensures continuity between movies, even though it is a little bit sad that Liberty is absent. Having Mayor Humdinger return as the movie's antagonist but actually start out wanting a new, honest life shows a level of growth and accountability that the series previously never used. Before, Humdinger felt like a one-dimensional caricature of a politician with sneaky, conniving motives, but now, he actually feels like a new man, and him relapsing due to the diamonds on the dinosaur island (Dino Island as it is called) is very in-character and shows that growth is not a one-way street. The voice cast-particularly Mckenna Grace as Skye, Jennifer Hudson as Lilian Ledes, and Terry Crews as Alistair Stonewall-were outstanding and delivered some funny, delightful performances. I also really loved the new songs "Bottle Up" by Backstreet Boys and "Work" by Ava Max. Not only do these songs feel like modern bangers any kid would listen to, but they also fit the story's themes very well, with "Bottle Up" serving as a literal expression of how the Paw Patrol is bottling up their emotions in being awestruck by an entire island full of dinosaurs, while "Work" highlights how they have to save the island from being destroyed by a volcano Humdinger activates with a mound of dynamite. My only criticism-and something I've always had with the *Paw Patrol* franchise's movies-is how fast-paced the movie is. Because the movies prioritize the preschool-age audience, they forget that longer pacing can allow for better world-building and stronger character growth. Kid-friendly studios in animation like DreamWorks or Pixar have done this for years and it shows. But overall, *Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie* was a fun, action-packed ride that continued to wow me with a visually spectacular story about resilience and doing the hardest things even when you have a flaw that seemingly holds you back. I hope we get more of these movies in the next 3-4 years or so.