Adventure City’s fluffiest heroes return in “Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie,” the second film tie-in to the popular Canadian TV show.
This time the gang faces a brand-new villain, Victoria Vance, a.k.a. Vee (voiced by Taraji P. Henson), who sends a dangerous meteor toward Earth in an effort to prove herself as a reputable scientist. The Paw Patrol successfully saves Adventure City from disaster, but they soon discover that exposure to the meteor and its magical crystals has given each of the pups unique superpowers: lightning-fast speed, super strength, and so on. This is a particular boon to Skye (Mckenna Grace), the youngest member of the team, who is struggling to fit in as the runt of the litter.
Much of the cartoon action and canine wisecracking found in the TV show — and “Paw Patrol: The Movie,” from 2021 — is rehashed here. It isn’t long before Vee joins forces with (former) Mayor Humdinger (Ron Pardo), the mustache-twirling, cat-loving villain from the first film, whose grand plan of stealing the crystals from the Paw Patrol leads to all sorts of antics. There’s even a cameo from Delores, the previous film’s self-absorbed poodle character, voiced by Kim Kardashian.
Directed by Cal Brunker, who also helmed the first installment, the film has no shame in being formulaic in plot or execution. Skye’s zero-to-hero plot arc is predictable as they come, though it’s easy to see why younger audiences may find it relatable. The animation is cute, but there are noticeable moments where corners were cut and characters or objects slide awkwardly across the screen.
Still, if you can imagine your kiddo enjoying an animated car-chase scene featuring puppies and kittens, set to Icona Pop’s “I Love It,” they’ll probably be thrilled with “The Mighty Movie.”
Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie
Rated PG. Running time: 1 hour 32 minutes. In theaters.
