Here they come to PAW the day! (CREDIT: Paramount PIctures and Spinmaster)
Starring: Carter Young, Hayden Chamberlain, McKenna Grace, Henry Bolan, Terry Crews, Ron Pardo, Jennifer Hudson, Fortune Feimster, Bill Nye, Meredith MacNeill, Jameela Jamil, Paris Hilton, Snoop Dogg, Rain Janjua, Lucien Duncan-Reid, William Desrosiers, Nylan Parthipan
Director: Cal Brunker
Running Time: 88 Minutes
Rating: PG for Animals (and Some Humans) in Grave Danger
Release Date: August 14, 2026 (Theaters)
What’s It About?: Those gawdang canine rescuers are back on the big screen! And this time around, they’re teaming up with T-Rexes and Stegosauruses and the like. That’s right, the PAW Patrol have wound up in their very own land that time forgot. It’s quite the idyllic island, with dinos and puppies living in perfect harmony. But like so many peaceful paradises, it’s filled with valuable natural resources that are just begging to be exploited. So once word gets out about Dino Island’s rich supply of diamonds, the Patrol’s old nemesis Mayor Humdinger (Ron Pardo) and his kitty conspirators make their way over to do the exploiting. But these puppies and their new scaly friends aren’t exactly ones to roll over in the face of a direct threat.
What Made an Impression?: Bow Wow Wow Yippie Yo Yippie Yay: I am pleased to report that PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie commences with Snoop Dogg as the patriarch of a yachting family fishing in the middle of the ocean, while his Paris Hilton-voiced wife attempts to grill up dinner on the deck. It’s certainly not unheard of for unlikely celebs to show up in kiddie flicks (just take a look at the rest of this movie’s cast, after all), but this moment is much more surreal than I bargained for. And the only reasonable conclusion is that Snoop must now play a variation of himself in every film aimed at the preschool set.
Sound the Alarm!: Speaking of PAW Patrol‘s target audience, not many major movies are rated G these days, but you might think that this would be one that’s perfectly acceptable for general audiences. Alas, this is in fact a PG feature, and that’s no mistake on the MPA’s part, as the puppies and the dinos and their human companions find themselves in legitimate danger on multiple occasions. I’m talking fire, collapsing structures, and errant cliff diving. It’s not like bodies are being charred to a crisp or like limbs are being torn from torsos. But it is enough to make you realize that playtime is over.
The Spirit of Aesop: Obviously I’m not the target audience for this movie, so I’ll let the toddlers out there decide if this is something they want to drag their parents along to. And ultimately like a lot of movies with this demographic in mind, its entertainment is fundamentally bound with its edification. The main message is the importance of not giving up and believing in yourself even when (or especially when) you’re not perfect. It’s not revolutionary by any means, but it’s certainly sensible enough.
PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie is Recommended If: You’re totally obsessed with the titular creatures
Grade: 3 out of 5 Diamonds
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