PAW PATROL: THE DINO MOVIE (2026)

Genre: Animation
Director:  Cal Brunker
Cast: Carter Young, Mckenna Grace, Terry Crews, Meredith MacNeill, Ron Pardo, Jennifer Hudson 
Runtime: 1 hr 28 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: UIP
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 6 August 2026

Synopsis: After their ship gets caught in a mysterious storm, the PAW Patrol pups crash land on an uncharted tropical island filled with dinosaurs. They meet Rex, a pup who has been stranded on the island for years and has become an expert in all things dino-related. When the PAW Patrol's arch-rival, Mayor Humdinger, begins recklessly mining in hopes of exploiting the island for its natural resources, he inadvertently causes a huge, dormant volcano to erupt. The PAW Patrol pups are thrown into a series of high-stakes, dino-sized rescues bigger than anything they've done before, as they must stop Humdinger before everything on the island goes extinct.

Movie Review:

If you’re reading this, chances are you happen to be a parent thinking whether the latest ‘Paw Patrol’ big screen adventure will (a) keep your children entertained for a good one and a half hours, like the Canadian TV series does consistently and faithfully; and (b) if during that duration, you will be sitting there bored out of your wits or finding yourself unexpectedly entertained too.

On (a), you’d be glad to note that this third animated spinoff is as dependable as the series itself. The favourites are all here – the clumsy Dalmatian Marshall; the cockapoo and aviator pup Skye; the German Shepherd Chase; the mixed-breed Rocky; the chocolate Labrador Zuma; and last but not least, the English bulldog Rubble. Lest you your kids ask you, the focus here is on Marshall, whose usual bumbling ways cause him to have a crisis of confidence, although there was never any doubt that he would eventually rise to the occasion to save the day.

The story as it goes sees the band of police pups led by Ryder stumble onto an island where dinosaurs still roam free, after being caught in an unusually heavy storm following a rescue attempt out at sea – and here, for the adults, fun fact that the family of Tiktokers whom the Paw Patrol save so happen to be voiced by Snoop Dogg and Paris Hilton.

It is on the said island that the Paw Patrol make the acquaintance of Rex, a friendly paraplegic Bernese Mountain Dog who has been stranded on the island for years. Not only does he serve as a guide to the Paw Patrol to the wonders and beauties of the island, Rex also proves to be a nifty inventor whose gadgets help them live in harmony with the dinosaurs, whether bathing them or cleaning up their poop.

No Paw Patrol movie or episode could be complete without Mayor Humdinger, and sure enough, the Paw Patrol’s arch-nemesis from Foggy Bottom shows up on the island after being fresh out of prison to try to extract the island’s dinosaurs for his own selfish profit. Never mind that these diamonds are on the side of an active volcano – to aid his plundering, Mayor Humbinger not only brings in tow his band of nefarious kitties but also jungle guide Harper Cutlass (Meredith MacNeill) and demolition expert Alistair Stonewall (Terry Crews).

The first hour unfolds like an extended episode, what with the pups going sky-diving over Dino Island, setting up camp for the researchers and scientists here to study the live prehistoric creatures, and helping to save a brontosaurus trapped in a gorge (because Mayor Humbinger had pushed it off the cliff to get it out of his way). It is only in the last half hour that the pace picks up substantially, as the pups race to save the inhabitants of the island – dinosaur and human alike – from the volcanic activity triggered by Mayor Humdinger’s greed.

And so coming to (b), we should say that ‘Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie’ is no ‘Toy Story 5’ nor for that matter ‘Minions and Monsters’. For that reason, you’d probably find ourselves reasonably disengaged from the cartoony happenings onscreen, and should probably make no apologies that your mind will wander in and out of the movie. Only in the last half hour does the movie drum up sufficient jeopardy and suspense to perhaps hold your attention, although it is no better than the best of Saturday TV cartoons.

Yet by simply being comfort food for the kids, we dare say you would probably agree with us that ‘Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie’ has served its purpose. Even though you might think you have wasted one and a half hours of your life away, we can be quite sure your kids won’t share the same sentiment, and as long as that is good enough for you, then you should have no qualms sitting with them in the dark through this kid-delightful adventure.

Movie Rating:

(For the kids - that's all that probably matters)

Review by Gabriel Chong