Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch (G, 2004)

This fourth outing in the Air Bud series takes place in Fernfield, where Buddy the golden retriever and his four grown puppies live alongside their human companions. Of course, there is evil afoot: a scientist wants to kidnap all the dogs to distill the Super Sports Gene that gives them their incredible ball-hitting ability. That plot gets set aside so that we can watch Buddy take Andrea's school bag to her on the first day of classes, and then watch Andrea become MVP material in one afternoon of practice with her helpful dog for a coach.

The dogs are all terrific, but there's absolutely nothing in AIR BUD: SEVENTH INNING FETCH to hold the viewer's attention. The writing is weak, the plot is transparent, the characters are clichés, and the situations are ridiculous. Even in this series, a dog hitting a baseball with a bat is far-fetched. If you're a dog lover, you'll have more fun taking a walk in the park and watching the real thing at play.

Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
Director: Robert Vince
Cast: Caitlin Wachs, Cynthia Stevenson, Kevin Zegers
Genre: Family and Kids
Run time: 90 minutes
Theatrical release: April 6, 2004
DVD release: April 6, 2004
MPAA Rating: G