As I went to the theater last weekend to attend an empty IMAX screening of Lisa Joy’s Reminiscence, I was shocked by how many people were inside the theater. It was the first time since 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker that I saw a cinema this packed with families who were going to see a movie, especially on a hot and sunny Friday afternoon. Moviegoers were lined up at the concession stand; the arcade was full of children happily playing and enjoying an unfiltered version of life. This was a sign that the movies are indeed back. But what particular film drew a literal crowd akin to The Rise of Skywalker‘s opening weekend in mid-August? By now, most people had seen F9 and Black Widow, and while Free Guy is certainly entertaining for families, it may not be appropriate for small children. What movie was it? That’s right, PAW Patrol! If you were living in Montreal’s greater south shore region and wanted to see it in cinemas this weekend, heh, good luck trying! Most screenings were packed with families making their grand return to the movies after an 18-month long period of no theatrical experiences, and what better way to return to the place where all dreams are possible than watching an adaptation of a top-rated children’s TV show that contains the same aesthetic as the TV PAW Patrol with a 2.35:1 aspect ratio and film stars instead.

If you aren’t a fan of the TV show (which probably means your age is above 6 years old), don’t bother. The film panders strictly to children who are well-versed in the world of PAW Patrol through a breezy animated adventure that won’t require much thinking nor any storytelling risks in the process. This feels more like a film to introduce young children to the art of moviegoing (and could potentially influence them to work in the industry, you never know) than anything else. I mean, put yourself in the mind of a 3-year old going to see a movie on a screen so immense with a bag of buttered popcorn ready to be whisked away to be a part of the latest PAW Patrol adventure. It’s immensely memorable and something they will never forget for the rest of their life, especially when this film introduces them to the art of the cinematic language. It’s not groundbreaking, by all means, but for them, it’ll be a masterpiece.

PAW Patrol: The Movie chronicles our titular characters’ fight against political corruption in Adventure City (not even joking) as they are tasked to stop the nefarious Mayor Humdinger (Ron Pardo) from destroying the city through a cloud-sucking weather device unleashing a week’s worth of bad weather and multiple instances of criminal negligence to fill his overtly petulant ego. It’ll be up to the PAW Patrol to regain control of the city and arrest the mayor for his crimes against the citizens of a rather peaceful place. And if you’ve seen any kids’ films with despots/egotistical politicians as its primary antagonist, then you’ll be glad to hear that PAW Patrol: The Movie is no different than the plethora of risk-free animated films being released on our screens these days.

I was surprised by how many positive reactions the film has gotten from professional critics, with many unironically calling it a sweet and lovable animated film. And while it certainly is quite lovable and carefree for children looking for pure escapism, PAW Patrol: The Movie isn’t anything groundbreaking, nor an animated film that’ll do any wonders for the medium. It exists purely as a commercial for kids that haven’t been introduced to the TV series and an accompanying piece of content for existing franchise fans. If you haven’t seen the show, don’t worry, the film does a decent job of contextualizing who the main characters are within its opening scene, which is the film’s most entertaining part. Tyler Perry voices a distressed truck driver carrying Canadian maple syrup, who has an accident trying to avoid a turtle on the road and gets rescued by the PAW Patrol. The comedic timing of the sequence is quite good, featuring bouts of humor adults will enjoy. But it’s after the film’s opening credits sequence where PAW Patrol: The Movie becomes strictly for young children looking to see a cinematic version of their favorite animated TV characters.

This scene, alongside its surprisingly cinematic action sequences, which strangely recalls the work of Zack Snyder in Legends of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole, make PAW Patrol: The Movie a relatively easy film to watch, though it’s not anything spectacular. None of the protagonists are developed and stay inside the same cyclical character beats of the show. We know a bit more about Chase (Iain Armitage) compared to the film’s other characters, as he has a traumatic past life in Adventure City but not much else to clamor for. Most of his fears get resolved through two pep talks, with Ryder (Will Brisbin) and Skye (Lilly Bartlam), which are extremely surface-level, though that may be enough for young kids to find poignant and adults enjoy its messaging.

Unless you’re three years old, you’ve seen the film’s plot countless times before, where a group of lively protagonists will overcome faux adversity to defeat pure evil. This time around, the pure evil is Mayor Humdinger, an egotistical political force who does everything he can to serve himself and himself only while looking down at his population. Adult viewers will likely find the similarities between him and President Donald Trump (the movie never hides it). At the same time, kids may see Humdinger as an adult version of a high school bully who constantly plays the victim and flees the scene after harming people. It’s an interesting antagonist for a children’s film and one that could’ve worked if it was better developed and didn’t revert to endless clichés and familiar character traits.

But the problem is that writer/director Cal Brunker and his co-scribes Billy Brolick and Bob Barlen never go past clichés and familiar character traits. Some will say, “you’re judging a film made for three-year-olds too harshly,” which is a valid argument but riddle me with this. When I was three, we had legitimately intelligent kids programs like Sesame Street to not only educate us but raise awareness on the social issues of our time in a thoughtful life. Nowadays, kids seem to enjoy brainless entertainment without much thought on the values they’re learning, nor if they’re being educated by watching one episode per day. If we expose our kids to thoughtful stories as they grow up, they have a better chance of becoming more literate in society, not only through art but on the way they see the world. And while PAW Patrol: The Movie certainly has the makings of a thought-provoking animated film, it never wants to surpass audience expectations and pander to die-hard fans of a cyclical show that’ll never end.

Great animated movies go above and beyond fan pandering and craft a truly memorable story for kids and adults to enjoy, but this one has no interest in doing that. Instead, it presents a simple story with simple character development and simple resolution. Heck, the PAW Patrol resolve three similar situations (or strikes) brought by the Mayor before arresting him. Strike one gives us a first look at Chase’s fears, while strike two exalts them until strikes three finally sees Chase overcoming his fears through pure willpower and cinematic slow-motion. Minimal development equals minimal results and minimal entertainment. Of course, if you’re looking to introduce your child to the art of moviegoing through a purely carefree and escapist piece of entertainment that won’t require much thinking from children and will distract them for 88 minutes with popcorn and a large screen, then look no further. But if you’re looking for something more wondrous and imaginative for both children and adults, with values that are way more memorable than in anything eight years of PAW Patrol taught us, then you better watch Vivo on Netflix instead.

PAW Patrol: The Movie is now playing in theatres and streaming on Paramount+