Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie
Year: 2023
Rating: PG
Length: 88 minutes / 1.47 hours
It was inevitable that I would eventually watch a Paw Patrol movie with my kids. And with the rise of the superhero genre over the last few decades, it makes sense that this franchise would capitalize on it with Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie (2023). As is usually the case with movies based on shows intended for children, the rise in quality for this film is definitely noticeable, not only in the visuals but in the deeper storyline as well. I’d almost prefer watching this movie as compared to a string of Paw Patrol episodes.
The basic premise of The Mighty Movie is that a strange meteor has given all the pups different superpowers that align with their core competency (i.e., Skye can fly, Chase is fast, and Marshall is a dystopian version of a firefighter a la Fahrenheit 451). These powers then allow the pups to tackle much more challenging emergencies. I can also appreciate the underlying Skye plotline where being the smallest in the team gave her self-confidence issues—something I’m sure little kids can relate to when they’re “too small” to help but can still add value to a team.
Of course, my bigger issues with this movie have to do more with my opinions on the Paw Patrol franchise as a whole. Sure, it’s this generation’s version of G.I. Joe in that the merchandizing drives the need for every character to have some kind of a vehicle along with “special edition” versions of the pups as superheroes. This is made somehow worse because they’re basically a mercenary group that exists outside the government to solve problems that public servants like police and firefighters should handle. Still, for kids excited to get into superheroes, The Mighty Movie should scratch that itch without being PG-13.
A sharp-looking, kid-appropriate superhero movie that retains core issues with the franchise, I give Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie 3.5 stars out of 5.
1/2
