THE “WORLD’S” OPINION – MUST SEE
Released in 2021, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, PAW Patrol, the movie had reinvigorated a flagging box office. Attracting 1.5 million spectators in French cinemas, the animated feature film by Canadian Cal Brunker (director of Space escapeesin 2013, andOperation Nutcracker 2in 2017, screenwriter of Bigfoot Family and of Monsters Academy in 2020) came to perfect the success story of the franchise created in 2013 with the Canadian series imagined by Keith Chapman. Series which, since then, has been available in ten seasons, and has conquered more than 170 countries.
The reception given to the first part suggested that a second would follow. He arrives today with PAW Patrol: The Power Patrol, the movie. And an announcement which, this time, leaves no room for suspense. A third part is already in preparation, scheduled for release in 2026, studio Paramount said a few weeks ago.
For now, we find as we left it the famous band of rescue puppies led by the intrepid Ryder, a 10-year-old kid, whose courage and wisdom have nothing to envy of the adult world. In Aventureville, previously saved from the hands of the formidable mayor Mr. Hellinger, routine has set in. Fires and rescues certainly provide a little work, but nothing exciting. Until the day when a meteorite crashes at the foot of the buildings, destroying the headquarters of the small pack.
One-upmanship on adventures
But since something bad is good, the meteorite, when it burst, released seven shards of crystal which will give each of the puppies a superpower. Supersonic speed for police German Shepherd Chase; mega energy for the builder bulldog Ruben; fire-breathing paws for Marcus the firefighter Dalmatian; a magnetic body for Rocky, the king of recycling… The puppies now clad in luminous armor, their capabilities multiplied, their vehicles streamlined like rockets, announce the direction taken by the film teams. Giving stuffed animals the appearance of Avengers, a pretext for overbidding adventures and special effects. At the risk, one might fear, of dissolving the soul, and therefore the fundamentals, of the canine brigade: its “cuteness” (initially adapted to the target audience of 4-6 year olds) and the values defended by the gang (mutual aid, solidarity , loyalty, sense of duty…).
Let us be reassured: a subtle mix of “old” and “modern”, a measured and precise graft have avoided the pitfall with panache, and allow a more spectacular dimension (with references among others to Star Wars, Ghostbusters), renew the series without denying it. A bit of fabric Incredibles added to the silky hair of our puppies serves to open new doors through which bad guys from another dimension rush in (a megalomaniacal scientist in search of all the shards of the meteorite). Having taken care to preserve the cute aspect and humor that characterizes the series, Cal Brunker, the director and co-writer, with Bob Barlen, of the film, succeeds in moving up a gear with this second part.
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