PAW PATROL: THE DINO MOVIE
IN CINEMAS SEPTEMBR 10
PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie is set to unleash a whole lot of excitement when it hits cinemas on September 10, and for all those little PAW Patrol fans who know every pup, every vehicle and every rescue mission, this latest big-screen adventure is sure to be a winner.
And I have to admit, I arrived at the cinema with a very personal reason to be excited.
As a grandma — or Nonna, as I’m known — my nearly three-year-old grandson is absolutely PAW Patrol obsessed. He has his own collection of the pups at home, so walking into the cinema and seeing those familiar faces taking over the posters immediately brought a smile to my face. But what surprised me most was just how much I ended up enjoying the film.
In fact, I may now officially be a bigger PAW Patrol fan myself!
This time, Ryder and his heroic pups — Chase, Marshall, Skye, Rubble, Rocky and Zuma — find themselves facing their biggest adventure yet when their boat is caught in a mysterious storm and they crash-land on a remote tropical island.
But this is no ordinary island.
It turns out to be home to something extraordinary — dinosaurs!
From the mighty T. rex and Triceratops to the towering Stegosaurus and Brachiosaurus, the film takes the pups into a prehistoric world filled with enormous creatures, spectacular action and plenty of laughs. Along the way they meet Rex, a Bernese Mountain pup who has been stranded on the island for years and has become something of a dinosaur expert — making him the perfect guide for the PAW Patrol.
Of course, no PAW Patrol adventure would be complete without a villain, and this time Mayor Humdinger is back causing trouble. His reckless attempts to mine the island’s natural resources awaken a dormant volcano, putting the dinosaurs, the island and everyone on it in serious danger.
What follows is a wonderfully energetic race against time, with the pups called upon to undertake dino-sized rescues that test their courage, teamwork and individual talents.
And that is where I think the film really works.
Underneath all the colourful animation, action, music and prehistoric mayhem are messages about friendship, teamwork, kindness, courage and helping others. Each pup brings something different to the team, and together they demonstrate that being a hero isn’t simply about being the strongest — it’s about knowing when to help, listening to others and working together.
For the younger members of the audience, those messages are delivered without ever feeling like a lecture. They’re simply part of the adventure.
The animation is also a real highlight. The dinosaurs have been created with a sense of scale and majesty that makes them feel much more than cartoon characters. Director Cal Brunker, who also co-wrote and directed the previous PAW Patrol feature films, worked with dinosaur experts to help make their movements and physicality feel authentic.
And you can see that care on screen. There is a genuine sense of wonder when these enormous prehistoric creatures appear alongside the much smaller pups.
Adding even more fun is an impressive voice cast, bringing plenty of personality to this dino adventure. Mckenna Grace voices Skye, Carter Young is Marshall, Rain Janjua is Chase, Lucien Duncan-Reid voices Rubble, William Desrosiers is Rocky and Nylan Parthipan is Zuma, with Hayden Chemberlen taking on Rex.
Then there are some seriously recognisable names behind the other characters, including Jennifer Hudson, Terry Crews, Jameela Jamil, Fortune Feimster, Snoop Dogg, Paris Hilton, Meredith MacNeill, Bill Nye and Ron Pardo as the ever-troublesome Mayor Humdinger.
And yes — hearing some of those familiar voices pop up adds another layer of enjoyment for the adults sitting alongside their little PAW Patrol devotees.
Henry Bolan makes his feature-film voice debut as Ryder, the young leader at the heart of the team. Interestingly, Bolan grew up watching PAW Patrol himself, which seems rather fitting for someone now helping bring Ryder to a whole new generation.
The music adds to the upbeat atmosphere, keeping the film moving along and giving the adventure plenty of energy, while the dinosaurs provide exactly what the title promises — a whole lot of ROAR!
But perhaps my favourite part of watching PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie was sitting there thinking about the little people who are going to experience this on the big screen.
For a nearly three-year-old PAW Patrol fan, seeing his favourite pups suddenly become larger-than-life cinema heroes, surrounded by dinosaurs, music, adventure and excitement, is the sort of experience that creates memories.
And for us grown-ups?
Well, you might find yourself having just as much fun.
PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie is colourful, energetic, funny and packed with positive messages that make it an easy family cinema choice. It has enough action and spectacle to keep the little ones engaged, plenty of familiar characters for devoted fans, and enough humour and star power to give parents and grandparents something to enjoy too.
So, from this Nonna, it’s a definite PAW-sitive recommendation.
Bring on the pups, bring on the dinosaurs — and prepare for a family cinema adventure that is as big-hearted as it is big on ROAR!
PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie arrives in Australian cinemas September 10.
🐾🦖 My verdict: A ROAR-some family adventure — and this Nonna approves!
