3 out of 5 stars (average)
Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie is the cutest superhero film your kids can see this year. Based on the popular Paw Patrol TV show (currently with an impressive 10 seasons), The Mighty Movie is a standalone sequel to the 2021 film that sees its four-legged heroes gain superpowers to save people and protect their city from a maniacal villain. It’s bright, it’s action-packed, and, most importantly for parents escorting their little movie stars, tolerable for the 90 minutes it’s onscreen.
The Paw Patrol are a group of puppies who have sworn to help the citizens of Adventure City however they can. While most of the pups are cool as a cucumber, Skye (Voiced by McKenna Grace) feels uncomfortable being the smallest hero of the bunch. However, when mad scientist (But don’t call her that) Victoria Vance (Voiced by Taraji P. Henson) directs a meteor to Earth to try and give herself super powers, the meteor goes off course, crash-landing and giving the Paw Patrol powers instead. Using their new abilities, the Paw Patrol continue to help Adventure City while a jealous Vance teams with the goofy bad guy Humdinger (Voiced by Ron Pardo) to try and steal the puppies’ powers away.
If my audience is anything to go by, Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie will keep young kids happy with just enough little jokes in there to keep grown-ups from falling asleep. I imagine kids will relate to Skye feeling small and insignificant and enjoy the super powered action sequences as well as the slapstick. The movie has messages of teamwork and embracing yourself, and, in a quite refreshing turn for a superhero movie, does not have endless amounts of property destruction at the end. If only live-action superhero films could follow in its non-destructive footsteps from time to time.
In terms of concern, there’s one mildly sad scene where Skye recounts her backstory before the Paw Patrol gave her a home and the expected action violence, but the humor is squeaky clean and kept the kids around me laughing. Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie is light on its feet, fluffy in its design, and serves as a pleasant introduction to superheroes for youngsters. See it if you have little ones. You probably won’t mind if the kiddos ask to watch this on repeat, and that’s a Mighty miracle in and of itself.
Rated PG for Mild Action/Peril