Since the Canadian “PAW Patrol” television series debuted in 2013, it has become one of the most lucrative franchises in the world, a powerhouse source of spin-offs, toys, games, t-shirts, backpacks, birthday party decorations, books, lunchboxes, and bedroom decor. The series, and its latest entry, “The Dino Movie,” couldn’t be more satisfyingly designed for its intended audience, precisely at the age when it is especially reassuring to have fantasy films about children (human and canine) who are brave, dedicated helpers and problem-solvers. Like a boy band, the different pup characters give children a selection of characters and catchphrases and extremely cool transforming vehicles!
The young fans appreciate a powerful sense of agency in choosing whether they identify more with mystery-solver, Chase (Rain Janjua), ever-hungry, wisecracking construction whiz Rubble (Lucien Duncan-Reid), fixit-specialist Rocky (William Desrosiers), water rescue expert Zuma (Nylan Parthipan), air rescue expert Skye (voiced by Mckenna Grace and suffering a bit from Smurfette syndrome, as she is the only female main character), upbeat dinosaur whisperer Rex (Hayden Chamberlen), who is paraplegic and uses wheels for his back legs, or Marshall (Carter Young), who takes central stage in this film as the fire-fighting Dalmatian who worries that he is not capable enough for the job. And there is also Ryder (Henry Bolan), the 10-year-old who oversees the operation. (Like Menudo, the young voice actors are replaced regularly.) We also meet a cute young dinosaur named Rhubarb.
After an opening scene where the pups rescue a family (with Snoop Dogg as the dad!) from a fishing boat on fire, the pups themselves get into trouble on the water and find themselves at a mysterious island inhabited by dinosaurs, thankfully all vegetarians. Rex the pup has been on the island for 2 ½ years and is very happy with his dino friends and with the elaborate tree house he built. The Paw Patrol recognizes the significance of this discovery to science, and soon paleontologists are setting up observation facilities. But then comes Paw Patrol’s most consistent antagonist, Mr. Mayor Humdinger (Ron Pardo). He and his kitties were let out of prison. He was determined to behave—until he saw the news broadcast about the dino island and glimpsed the giant diamond deposits abutting the island’s dormant volcano.
There are some very exciting rescues, dynamically paced but not too scary, and of course a happy ending involving Humdinger and dino poop.
More important from a parents’ point of view, the pups work together, support each other, and, significantly, they stay cool when things go wrong, calmly calculating a different approach until they find one that works, all great models for children. Rex tells Marshall that no one should feel embarrassed about mistakes; they’re just lessons that show us how to do better. We also learn that Ryder selected Marshall for the team even though his skills were not the best because he never gives up. That’s a lesson Marshall does not realize he is passing on to Rhubarb, and one parents will be glad the pups are passing on so gently to their young fans.
