When folks in the sleepy town of Adventure Bay run into trouble, they don’t call the police, or fire and rescue, instead they call in the PAW Patrol, which is all of those rolled into one. The team is led by 10-year-old Ryder, and his four-legged team of rescue pups includes firefighter/paramedic Marshall (Dalmatian), policeman Chase (German Shepherd), construction worker Rubble (bulldog), recycling/handyman Rocky (mixed breed), aquatic rescue Zuma (Labrador Retriever) and air rescue Skye (cockapoo). Ryder drives an ATV, while each of the pups has their own occupation-appropriate vehicle and a pup pack containing all sorts of other helpful gadgets, and together this team is ready for any situation.

In nearby Adventure City, it’s election day, and the leading candidate for mayor mysteriously dropped out of the race, allowing the unscrupulous Mayor Humdinger to win by default. The self-centered, cat-loving new mayor despises dogs, banning them from his self-organized congratulations ceremony, at which he announces that he’s going to put the “adventure” back in Adventure City. Young dachshund Liberty is a super-fan of the PAW Patrol, and is aware of their history with Mayor Humdinger. She is afraid of what he might do, so Liberty calls in the PAW Patrol before the new mayor destroys the city. And as soon as the pups arrive at their new high-tech Adventure City HQ, the chaos begins. From fireworks and loop-de-loops in subway tracks, to dognapping, weather machines and unstable towers, the mayor is filled with bad ideas to promote himself while putting the lives of those in the city in danger. However, the pups are on the case, and honorary team member Liberty is ready to help them navigate the city.

I had never seen the PAW Patrol TV series before checking out this feature film. It was very easy to follow and understand even without any prior knowledge of the characters. I went in expecting the film to be something only geared towards very little kids. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the movie, which didn’t feel dumbed down at all, story-wise, character-wise, or action-wise. Sure, Mayor Humdinger is the epitome of a moustache-twirling villain, with ridiculous, over-the-top plans, but older viewers can recognize him as the typical politician who’s only concerned about his image and his own self-interests. The pups are all a lot of fun, and each has his or her own unique personality that comes across almost immediately. The film also pokes fun of itself at times—during the opening rescue, there is this hilarious reaction by a truck driver dangling off a bridge when he sees that a puppy has come to rescue him. In addition to the main plot with the Mayor, the film also explores other side stories. Chase goes on a journey of self-discovery to overcome his fear of the city—he is afraid he will revert back to that scared abandoned puppy he was when Ryder first found him in Adventure City, rather than the hero he has become in Adventure Bay. And Liberty is this street smart but also lonely puppy who wants to be a member of the PAW Patrol more than anything, and eagerly helps them out whenever possible.

While many of the characters that appear in the TV series are also voiced by the current TV show cast, the voice of Chase is provided by Iain Armitage (Young Sheldon) and new team member Liberty is voiced by Marsai Martin (black-ish, Little). Some of the other secondary characters are also played by more well-known actors—Gus the truck driver (Tyler Perry), newscaster Marty Muckracker (Jimmy Kimmel), the Mayor’s bumbling sidekicks Ruben (Dax Shepard) & Butch (Randall Park), young scientist Kendra Wilson (Yara Shahidi, grown-ish), and jailed poodle Delores (Kim Kardashian West). The level of cast isn’t the only way the filmmakers have raised the bar for this feature-film version of the series. The animation also looks to be a major step up from the TV show, with a lot greater detail, and more textured and realistic looking facial features and hair/fur. The Adventure City HQ and the pups’ vehicles have also received an overhaul—these cars have all the bells and whistles (literally) and can seemingly transform into anything to fit the task at hand. There are high speed chases, explosions, and more that all feel like a big action film rather than a feature based on kids’ program. The film also features an excellent pop/rock soundtrack that includes existing and original songs by Adam Levine, Alessia Cara, Fifth Harmony, FITZ & Fitz and The Tantrums, and more.

Paramount’s Blu-ray release looks and sounds amazing. The picture is bright and beautiful, capturing each of the pup’s signature color palette. In the darker scenes, the black levels are excellent. There is also a fantastic level of detail in faces, fur and other textures. Even with lots of action, high speed chases, or explosions, the film always remains clean and clear. The film’s Atmos soundtrack provides a fully-immersive viewing experience, surrounding the viewer in the sounds of the city. Whether it’s the sound of Skye’s copter or rain overhead, or the speeding of cars as they whiz by, you always feel like you are in the middle of the action. The track also provides clear dialogue and really showcases the film’s excellent pop soundtrack. The Blu-ray disc comes packed in a standard HD keepcase, with a cardboard slipcover, and an insert with redemption instructions for a digital copy of the film. The disc contains less than 10 minutes of bonus material, which primarily makes use of repurposed clips from the film with added narration, plus a lyric video of the new theme song. Most of this feels a bit throwaway—as an adult, I would have loved to have seen some behind-the-scenes featurettes with the cast and/or animators, or some discussion about going from the small screen to the big screen. The digital copy offers some additional bonus material—over an hour of PAW Patrol and Blaze and the Monster Machines TV episodes, two of which have yet to air on TV.

What’s Included:

Film: (1:26:00)

Blu-ray:

• 1080p / Widescreen 1.78:1
• Audio: English (USA) Dolby Atmos, English (UK) 5.1 Dolby Digital, English (USA) Audio Description, English (UK) Audio Description, German 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish (Latin America) 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Italian 5.1 Dolby Digital, Japanese 5.1 Dolby Digital, Dutch 5.1 Dolby Digital
• Subtitles: English (USA), English (UK), English (USA) SDH, English (UK) SDH, German, Spanish (Latin America), French, Italian, Japanese, Dutch

Digital (Code subject to expiration, may not be valid after 11/2/2023):

• Digital Copy redeemable via Apple TV or Vudu (redeems in 4K on Apple, not Movies Anywhere compatible)

Extras:

• A Totally PAW-some Team (6:01)
  Chase takes viewers on a quick tour of Adventure City HQ and introduces each member of the team—Marshall, Zuma, Rocky, Skye, Rubble, Liberty, Ryder & himself—as well as their high-tech gadgets, pup packs, and vehicles.

  
  

• ACN: Adventure City News Reports with Marty Muckraker (1:57)
  Two news reports by Adventure City News host Marty Muckraker. First he takes a look at the hometown origins of PAW Patrol leader Chase, and then at newest PAW Patrol recruit Liberty.
  
• PAW Patrol: The Movie Lyric Video (Reimagined Theme) (1:37)
  Animated music video for a reimagined version of the PAW Patrol theme song performed by The Math Club. Stylized lyrics appear on the screen so fans can sing along.
  
• Bonus TV Episodes (Digital Only)
  • Blaze and the Monster Machines: The Great Pizza Race (21:46)
    “It’s a head-to-head showdown when Blaze and Crusher enter… The Great Pizza Race! Who will deliver all of their pizzas first and win the coveted Great Pizza Trophy?”
    (Season 6, Episode 9, Never-Before-Seen!)
  • PAW Patrol: Pups and Katie Stop the Barking Kitty Crew! (12:13)
    “When Mayor Humdinger disrupts Adventure Bay with his ‘barking’ kitties, Katie and the pups must rescue the town.”
    (Season 8, Episode 10a, Original Air Date: August 13, 2021)
  • PAW Patrol: Pups vs. A Neon Humdinger (12:13)
    “When Mayor Humdinger’s giant neon sign of himself gets loose, Ryder and the PAW Patrol must stop it from rolling through town.”
    (Season 8, Episode 11a, Original Air Date: August 6, 2021)
  • PAW Patrol: Pups Stop an Xtreme Shark (12:13)
    “The Pups must save Daring Danny X when a mechanical shark stunt goes awry.”
    (Season 8, Episode 12b, Never-Before-Seen!)

Final Thoughts:

PAW Patrol: The Movie is a fun, action-packed adventure that the whole family can enjoy. This certainly doesn’t feel like it was only made with little kids in mind. Everything is amped up from the TV series, from the setting to the storylines to the cast, and especially the production value. Paramount’s Blu-ray release features excellent picture and sound, plus the digital copy redeems in 4K in Apple TV for folks who want an even better experience. The one place where the release is lacking is in the bonus material, with just under 9 minutes of features on the disc, plus some digital-only episodes of the TV series. That said, this release is a must own for any household with fans of the series, but also recommended for anyone looking for a fun and entertaining animated feature the whole family can enjoy.