Entertainment in a Glance

Director:Robert Vince
Writers:Kevin DiCicco (character "Air Bud"), Robert Vince (written by) ...
Release Date:3 February 2009 (USA)
Genre:Family | Sci-Fi

Without giving away too much of the story, the dogs follow one of their masters (a young boy) to his school's field trip where they are launching an experimental rocket. Of course, the dogs wind up getting themselves locked into the rocket (and how the humans standing outside did not see them, I cannot understand). If you are wondering how they are wearing space suits for dogs, the movie also explains that one too, although it is far-fetched. The rocket launches, and so does the adventure. For more of the story, you are going to have to watch the movie. However, I can tell you that it was enjoyable. The way they have the dogs talk and communicate with each other is really cute. The trainers did an excellent job in getting all of these canines to "act" in front of the camera.

Dogs have been used for years as actors and some have even been the stars of the shows, such as Rin-Tin-Tin and Lassie. Although I do not thing these pooches will ever get to that level of fame, the movie, even from an adult point of view, was not bad at all. The plot was not very complex, but the writing of the script was very entertaining. I watched it with a 4 year old that also enjoyed it and actually paid attention to most of it (as opposed to half watching and half playing as is normally the case). And I want to again reiterate, the trainers did a fantastic job with the "cast" of this movie.

Mr. Darnell and Mr. McGrath don’t appear especially committed to these stale conceits and character dynamics, which may explain why they spend so much time playing with the penguins, chimps and King Julien, who may not roar but certainly rules. There’s true playfulness here whenever this wacky animal pack takes over, a suggestion of delirium echoed by the zippy, at times overly zooming camerawork with its roller-coaster dips and swoops. And while the filmmakers throw the camera around almost as much as Brian De Palma does, every so often they slow down, giving you a chance to scan the softly muted colors of the landscapes and explore how the exaggerated character designs create a nice visual contrast with the photorealistic details and flourishes.