The Wasteland Reviewer

PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie (2026) Written Review

Are we ready to dive back into a new mission with kids’ favorite canine crew of public servants? PAW Patrol is a consistently popular series for young kids with all the bright colors, fast-paced, and silly humor that makes for an easily digestible (if not meaningful) experience for younger folks. With two feature length theatrical releases under their belts, this canine crew finds themselves with a wild new mission…exploring a mysterious island they are stranded on full of dinosaurs. This crazy new setting opens the door for all types of new adventures for the patrol as well as nefarious new shenanigans for evil Mayor Humdinger to get into that could threaten all life on this island. 

How does director Cal Brunker bring this series back to the big screen for another outing? It only took three features but PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie does feel like a theatrical release instead of a Paramount+ original dumped in theaters. The animation has taken a nice step up in quality from the previous editions in the franchise. The film is certainly colorful and vibrant but the extra levels of detail in the animation make the difference. You can see that in the fur of the dogs as well as all the different designs of the dinosaurs. The human characters still leave a lot to be desired from an animation standpoint but overall, this is a vibrant fun time. With a brisk 88-minute runtime, this film moves by quickly with few moments taking the time to slow down the venture. This certainly undercuts moments where the film is attempting a deeper emotional experience but that is the expectation for such a series. The tone is generally silly and fun (especially with the low brow humor being thrown at the audience) but the film also has darker plot threads like a fire on a yacht to start the film as well as a volcanic eruption that could kill every single character in the film. This film keeps it light though and loses out on capturing the potential drama of such a dangerous scenario. 

Does the writing from Brunker Bob Barlen offer up a worthwhile story? This third entry certainly takes things in a different direction. The broader idea of bringing dinosaurs into the fold is certainly a fresh idea and takes PAW Patrol into new frontiers. The dynamics between these completely different types of animals (dogs and dinos) do offer up enough tension and drama for what the film is looking for. The dastardly shenanigans of Humdinger are dark with greedy mining ventures almost destroying this whole island and all the characters on it. What might be surprising is that this is less a PAW Patrol movie than a Marshall story. The firefighter dog is the one who finds a strong connection with a baby dinosaur and the film takes a significant chunk of time to do a flashback for Marshall’s origins on the team. This seems a little odd and clunky to drop in this already busy story, but it does add some emotional depth. For such a brisk film, there are a lot of other supporting characters that feel a little unnecessary for the story being told. The film is not full of any surprises as the narrative goes exactly where you expect it. You can also tell this was written for a much younger audience (with the blunt dialogue and low brow gags) which makes it a little harder for the adults in the room to connect with it. But there is just enough dinosaur action to grab that attention back. 

Does the voice cast add much to the proceedings? Carter Young does a fine job leading the film portraying Marshall who gets the most to do with the patrol. Most of the other members of the patrol feel tacked on and just along for the ride. You do have a talented young performer like Mckenna Grace who brings some personality to her canine too. Ron Pardo has been one of the most consistently campy elements of this franchise as Mayor Humdinger who is an outlandish over the top, mustache-twirling villain (and still one of the most fun parts of the franchise). There are plenty of interesting voice castings from Terry Crews to Jennifer Hudson to Jameela Jamil to Bill Nye to Snoop Dogg to Paris Hilton (yes…those last two are quite a strange choice). The voice performances are not the element that will grab you watching this film but there are at least a few recognizable ones that are a good bit of fun. 

Is The Dino Movie the best entry so far on the big screen for PAW Patrol? Honestly…yes. The animation is the strongest it has been. The dinosaur twist is a fun concept to shake up this franchise. There are some good moments of thrills and suspense. There is even some solid heart. The Dino Movie will certainly find that late summer family spot at the box office.