PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman December 9, 2023

A lot can happen in two years in PAW Patrol world. I've gone from relative franchise novice when the first Paw Patrol movie released to Blu-ray two years ago to, now, a full-fledged walking encyclopedia of the universe thanks to a nearly six-year-old daughter who is still somewhat of a fan and a three-and-half-year old son who Spinmaster really should come and recognize as the world's biggest fan, and myself and my wife as the world's biggest spenders on PAW Patrol merchandise. Yet we still love every minute of it. It brings no shortage of joy to see my son so excited about his favorite franchise, and while he was too young to see the movie in theaters this summer, I was able to wrap up the Blu-ray screener and give it to him as a gift, which worked out well because it came when he had the flu and needed a pick-me-up. Since we watched it together, he has since watched it twice more, both times with his sister, while I have been working on the review. We're that kind of PAW Patrol family. So, what did we all think of the movie? Of course we loved it.

Aside from a curious theft at a nearby scrapyard, it's a pretty standard day in Adventure City. Ryder (voiced by Finn Lee-Ep) and his team of pups are relaxing ahead of the imminent pass-by of a meteor. Unfortunately, it's about to change course! When power hungry scientist Vee Vance (voiced by Taraji P. Henson) activates a powerful magnet (that she stole form the scrapyard) that is the centerpiece of a powerful tractor beam of her own design, it alters the meteor's trajectory and it hurtles down to Adventure City, crashing through the Pup Tower and leaving behind a trail of destruction. Fortunately, nobody is hurt. In fact, they're better. The pups discover that the meteor is home to seven powerful crystals that transform them into the Mighty Pups! Now, with powers like magnetism, super speed, and super strength at their disposal, it would seem that no job will ever really be too big nor any pup really too small to keep the city safe. Unfortunately, Skye (voiced by Mckenna Grace) is dupped by Vance and her new partner in crime, Mayor Humdinger (voiced by Ron Prado). Her power crystal is stolen, setting in motion an imminent showdown between the Mighty Pups and the mighty fearsome twosome of Vee Vance and Mayor Humdinger.

Much of the story's character drama revolves around Skye's insecurity. Despite being one of the big heroes in the previous film, she struggles with her size, believing herself to be too small to make a difference and be a part of a team with bigger pups. The film pushes back to her early days as the "runt of the litter" and the difficulties she has faced her entire life as a result. Her desire to prove herself only makes matters worse, not because she is not a capable member of the PAW Patrol, but because she rushes in without the help of her friends; she decides that the only way to prove herself is to go it alone, which only makes matters worse. Of course, Skye will be redeemed in a big way by the end, and she will learn the true value of teamwork. Ther story in the middle works well to this end with character traits being amplified by the power crystals, allowing Skye to learn that it is not her sudden ability to fly or wield brute strength that makes her valuable, but rather it is her contributions to the greater whole that makes her a key cog in the PAW Patrol.

One of the reasons why this film doesn't work quite as well as the last one is the focus away from Mayor Humdinger as the primary villain. He's still in the movie, and as mean and nasty (in a G-rated way) as ever, but the movie isn't quite the same with him being relegated to secondary villain status. Instead, the filmmakers give top baddie billing to Victoria Vance, a power-hungry "mad scientist" who, despite a cool look, just lacks the charisma that Humdinger brings to the PAW Patrol universe. She's very generic but a decent stand-in foil for the pups. It's understandable that the filmmakers chose to go another way and not risk that the film simply repurpose Humdinger's ego-driven mania as the chief opponent for the heroic pups, but there's just very little that's memorable about Victoria Vance. It's curious that the film didn't fold in Humdinger's nephew, the well-established Harold, as co-villain instead.

PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

As expected of a big(ger) budget 2023 animated film, PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie looks tremendous on Blu-ray. The image is sharp and clear and colorful with nary a digital element out of place or lacking in pristine definition. All of the Mighty Pup costumes offer impressive complexity while the vehicles and city elements are likewise tactile and sharp. Even the drabber, but texture-rich, old observatory where Vee Vance works looks amazing. Color output is terrific with no shortage of superb colors on display, all of them perfectly robust and rich, including, of course, all of the core pup colors and the glowing accents on the new vehicles. Eagle-eyed viewers might spot the rare example of aliasing on the deck of the carrier early in the film and a few brief examples of banding (21:01), but overall this is a very clean, efficient, and healthy transfer.

PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Paramount brings PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie to Blu-ray with a Dolby Atmos soundtrack. It offers an excellent presentation from the start with dynamic score featuring wonderful stage extension and superb low end, characteristics which are common to the whole experience, whether instrumental music or Pop beats. Action elements are likewise full and powerful. When a welding tank blows in the opening minutes, the sound offers superb low-end response and excellent movement dynamics. Bass aplenty accompanies Humdinger's footfalls later in the film. The climactic action event pitting Skye against a meteor shower offers zipping laser blasts and hearty explosions. The track does not make frequent use of discrete top end effects, but the overheads engage in plenty of complementary usage. Dialogue is always clear, well prioritized, and centered for the duration.

PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie contains two featurettes. No DVD copy of the film is included, but Parmount has bundled in a digital copy code. This release ships with a non-embossed slipcover.

• Paw-Somely Powerful Pups (1080p, 5:58): Skye hosts a look at the pups and the powers they earn in the film.
• A Totally Paw-Some Cast (1080p, 5:15): Looking at the voice cast and its work in the film.

PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Looking back now with more experience and having seen the original Paw Patrol movie probably 25+ times since I reviewed it, I'd probably go ahead and adjust the score for that film from a 3.5/5.0 to a 4.5/5.0 or maybe even a 5.0. Somehow it has truly never grown old for all those viewings, and I will be curious to see how I view The Mighty Movie in two years, especially when my son's enthusiasm might wane a little. I liked it a little more at home than I did in theaters (where I saw it with my daughter, her first ever trip to the movies) but I don't think it quite holds up to the original. It's a lot of fun, but it's not quite to the level of scale, wonder, and near perfection as the first. Still, it's a blast for franchise fans and it's a solid movie in its own right, too, with the colorful animation, solid story, good dramatic content, and fun action. Paramount's Blu-ray (sadly there is no UHD; hopefully the studio re-releases this film and the original on UHD+SteelBooks somewhere soon down the line) delivers where it counts with top quality A/V presentations. Sadly, the supplements are lacking in both quantity and quality. Still, this comes highly recommended!