‘Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie’: All bark, no bite

CINCINNATI (WXIX) - You know, with all the genres and types of movies I cover here, I continue to have a difficult relationship with children’s films. Now, I’ve reviewed my fair share of movies in this space over the last several years. Unlike many, I don’t inherently look down upon the idea of these films. Rather, in many such instances of coverage, I’ve actually been surprised at how much I’ve enjoyed movies of this caliber, and better yet, how many of them have actually managed to surprise me in terms of narrative depth and nuance. Yet, at the same time, I cannot say that this is intrinsically correct for all samples in this space. I’ve had to sit through my fair share of kids’ movies that leave me baffled and confused at not only the execution, but also the intent behind them. For this reason, my relationship with the genre itself has been fairly convoluted in recent years, and this was no exception when I first came across the information for “Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie”, which releases in theaters this weekend. Now, let me start off this review by saying that I was actually not planning on seeing or reviewing this movie. I’m clearly not the target audience for anything Paw Patrol related, and I am too old to have grown up in the demographic that is familiar with this show from their childhood. However, I no doubt have been aware of its presence in the pop culture space and the popularity the show has carved out itself. However, this led me to wonder: if I walked in completely blind to a Paw Patrol movie with an open mind, would I be able to discern any value or worth from the end product? And if you clicked on this review, you’ll no doubt know what happened.

“Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie” once again follows Chase, Marshall, and the rest of the beloved Paw Patrol characters as they embark on an adventure that will take them beyond the reaches of their home into a world entirely different from anything they recognize. As the team finds themselves on a remote island filled to the brim with prehistoric dinosaurs, they will have to learn more about the species if they want to save the animals from the threat of the villainous Humdinger.

Star Rating: 2/5

Now, to add a little bit of context to my position in this review, let me describe to you the exact type of movie that this is. “Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie”, to put it bluntly, thinks its audience is unintelligent. Simply put, there is no getting around this. Zero effort has been placed into telling a story that actually feels motivated or driven by any fashion. Instead, this movie is a wild amusement park ride that just whips viewers along from point to point without stopping long enough to let us relish in anything complex within its plot. Sure, there may be a “plot” here, but the storyline is quite blatant and serves no interest in letting audiences discern or mull over anything themselves. It’s genuinely cinematic cotton candy. It tastes good, is pure sugar, and is colorful, but it leaves you feeling so hollow and empty inside after digesting it.

To add context to this, I want to address the fact that, at my screening of the film, before the movie even started, a genuine toy advertisement played for the tie-in products attached to the film and its marketing campaign. The purpose of this was clear. This advertisement before the movie encourages kids to rush their parents out to stores to shell out money towards crossover toy lines and merchandise unlike any other. While in premise, I first didn’t think anything inherently special of this practice, it continued to rear its ugly head in the back of my mind as the film progresses. And this is because, if you look out for it as the movie plays, you will be able to tell the blatant product placement that is occurring right before your eyes. For an example, look no further than the gadgets, technology, and vehicles that the Paw Patrol utilize in the film. The way these items are rendered, drawn, and contextualized in this environment allows them to stand out with ease. Kids in the audience will see these items and think “Wow, that’s so cool!” And that’s when toy companies will no doubt release tie-in merchandise that are these same exact items as well. When watching “Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie”, I was immediately struck with the fact that I was watching a legitimate hidden infomercial where everything is for sale and nothing is off the table. And while I can’t speak for all audiences, I personally could not ignore these clues as the film played before me. With every second, I was recognizing with a deep horror and sadness that not a single ounce of this movie is instilled with anything that actually cares about its audience or the value of the cinematic experience. Instead, it’s a bizarre amalgamation that blurs the line between tasteful entertainment and shameless cross-promotion, treating its viewers as nothing more than consumers intent on purchasing the next great thing in the Paw Patrol universe.

Now, at this point in the review, I do want to give credit where credit is due. “Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie”, for all intents and purposes, is far from being the worst movie I’ve seen this calendar year alone. There are at least some admirable attempts to lift itself up from mediocrity that deserve recognition as such. For one, I found that the film’s attempt at adding characterization to Marshall, the team’s fire pup, was nothing short of inspired. As a character, Marshall is what is known as a “clumsy pup”. It’s a sentiment repeated at several points in the film by other characters, and you see this very notion in the execution from Marshall as well. However, in a rare and motivated character turn, the film goes to great lengths to establish Marshall’s turn as someone who steps into his full potential, with a sequence towards the end of the film that is ultimately quite moving and layered. It’s the one point of this film that actually feels complex and grounded in any capacity, and I at least respect the angle even if it doesn’t turn the tide completely in favor of the film. I also found myself falling in love with the adorable Rex, a new character who is actually a dog within a wheelchair. I found his energy to be playful without stepping over a line of annoyance like many side characters in kids media, which allowed him to be a memorable and much-needed breath of fresh air in an otherwise stale and stagnant product. And, ultimately, being an animated film, credit is due towards the artistic vision on display here. Although the story might not convey it, the animation here is without a doubt gorgeous. There’s so much depth and expression to the composition of environments and tone, and the dog characters themselves are insanely detailed and expressive in every moment. It’s also worth noting that the talented cast of child actors who voice the young pups nonetheless knock their roles out of the park, which is a rarity for me to say, as I mostly find child actor performances to often be tedious or lackluster in many regards.

Overall, “Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie” might not have offered me what I was seeking out of this one, but as it stands, I’m not entirely sure of what the point of this frivolous cinematic exercise is either. While the movie is surely going to entertain kids looking to jump back into this colorful world, it’s also worth mentioning that this is far and away scraping the bottom of the barrel in terms of cinematic merit in this space. Kids are way smarter than this movie gives them credit for, and the material does itself no favors as a result. While parents who take their kids to the multiplex this weekend will surely not feel as if their money was wasted, as it holds short attention spans and is a break to get out of the house surely, there is also a conversation that needs to be raised about when enough is finally enough in this space, and when filmmakers will finally treat their target audience in this genre with the respect they ultimately deserve.

“Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie” is in theaters everywhere Aug. 14 courtesy of Paramount.

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