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Air Buddies (PG, 2006)

common sense media says

Air Bud's adorable talking pups to the rescue.

parents & educators say
  • 33% say there are positive messages
See all 14 reviews | Review it

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this direct-to-DVD movie in the Air Bud series shows puppy siblings working together to support one another while they try to rescue their parents from a villain. Puppies, and eventually their child owners, are imperiled by bungling henchmen. A threatening-looking wolf turns out to be a helper to the lost pups.

Positive messages: Positive messages of teamwork and family bonds, both within canine and human families. Broadly drawn adult villains are punished, and a bratty kid is transformed through a puppy's love. Eruptions of dog gas are played for laughs throughout the movie.
Positive role models: Despite some questionable behavior in the beginning the frisky puppies are still too cute to be bad. Plus, they help teach humans some important lessons about love too.
Violence & scariness: A threatening villain physically and verbally bullies his henchmen, who are also suspended and pelted with snack food by a dog-loving motorcycle gang.
Sexy stuff: Not applicable.
Language: Not applicable.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: A puppy falls into a wine vat and, inebriated, is the only one to get captured during one chase.
Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

More on Air Buddies

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • Families can talk about how the puppy siblings have strong personalities but come together as a team when there's a problem. How are you and your own siblings (or friends) alike, and how are you different?
  • Have you ever been on a sports team or worked on a class project with someone very different from you, and if so, how did you get along?

What's the story?

What's the story?
In yet another sequel to the movie Air Bud, AIR BUDDIES follows the adventures of Buddy and Molly's five frisky offspring, who have inherited their doggy parents' ability to talk. Working together to outwit an evil villain who wants to kidnap their famous father, the puppies learn lessons about teamwork and their special ability to help the new owners who have been chosen for each of them. Puppy siblings Budderball (voiced by Josh Flitter), Rosebud (Abigail Breslin), Bud-dha (Dominic Scott Kay), B-Dawg (Skyler Gisondo), and MudBud (Spencer Fox) live with Buddy's owner Noah and his family. The puppies' shenanigans have their human parents thinking that they're ready to go to their new "forever" homes, but the puppies aren't so sure; they get wind of the plan and run away. When Molly and Buddy go in search of their pups, they cross paths with an animal kidnapper who's agreed to capture Buddy for a rich man with a spoiled, bratty son. It's puppies to the rescue, of course. As they follow the trail to Molly and Buddy, they must stay ahead of two bungling henchmen and get past a threatening-looking wolf (Michael Clark Duncan). Bravery and teamwork help the puppies save the day, and along the way the five realize that they are ready to go to their new families.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
The story is fairly predictable and the humor slapstick, so older kids will probably lose interest along the way. But younger dog lovers are sure to enjoy the puppy antics and the DVD's special features, which include a segment called "Train Your Dog to Be a Star" and in-depth Puppy Profiles for each of the five main characters.

For some reason, the animation technique used to bring talking dogs to the screen was breed-specific: Chatting golden retrievers seem completely believable, and the wolf was suitably threatening, but the talking Basset Hound, Deputy Sniff (Don Knotts), looked jerky and fake -- perhaps it was the jowls? Overall, human and canine performances alike are solid, though the villain's accent veers from German to Cockney to the Bronx and ends up somewhere in Holland.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Director: Robert Vince
Cast: Cynthia Stevenson, Michael Clarke Duncan, Richard Karn
Genre: Family and Kids
Run time: 80 minutes
Theatrical release: December 12, 2006
DVD release: December 12, 2006
MPAA Rating: PG
MPAA explanation: some mild rude humor.
This review was written by Nancy Davis Kho
 
 

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What parents & educators say

4
Based on 3 parent & educator reviews:
  • 33% say there are positive messages
Read the reviews

Most useful reviews by all members

MovieLover4Lyfe
adult
5
 
Definitely for younger viewers, but the puppies are just tooooo cute! Kinda slow at points but young children won't notice.
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23colby
teen, 17 years old
 
ST SINKS 21
ST WAS A GOOD PERSON.
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lilmissfrankie
kid, 12 years old
4
 
.............
COUGH COUGH ANNOYING COUGH COUGH TERRIBLE COUGH COUGH MOVIE COUGH COUGH
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Kisasi05
kid, 13 years old
5
 
Awesome Movie!
I loved it! It's really cute and funny! Great movie for dog or animal lovers!
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rock lee 619
teen, 14 years old
 
it was lame
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Daisey042
parent
2
 
Cute movie
I liked the show and so did my 2 year old at the time. There isn't anything scary in the movie or mean. I'm not sure why this movie is rated for children 5 and up.
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lexalolu
teen, 14 years old
5
 
a*..
Stupid and predictable, but my weakness is puppies so i can stomach it. THEY ARE SOOO CUTE!!!!!!!!
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TeamEdward
kid, 12 years old
3
 
Little Kids Will Enjoy This, But The Talking Dogs Are SOOO Weird
I didn't really like this movie mainly because I don't enjoy movies with talking dogs. It's good for little kids, but as I said, older kids may find this movie to be scary because of the talking dogs.
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sweetsour08
kid, 13 years old
 
i laughed so hard.
i just love it.it is so funny and plus i love puppys. i wood read it to everyone!
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DexterSmith
adult
 
Air Buddies
Sexual Content (Not an Issue): None. Violence (Pause): Some physical bullying and slapstick. Language (Not an Issue): None. Social Behavior (On): Promotes teamwork and getting along. The cast isn't very diverse. Some crude humor. Commercialism (Not an Issue): None. Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco (Pause): A dog falls into a wine vat.
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reviewgirl13
teen, 16 years old
5
 
Good for kids, but the Air Buddies are getting a little old
Obviously it's a show for younger kids, it's pretty cute, older children might not take much interest in it, but it will delight younger ones. The only reason why I give it three stars is because after this movie, they made many other movies with the air buddies puppies in it and it just became a little old. Like almost any other movie, usually after the first, the sequels aren't as good as the first and I believe that's true for Air Buddies. Besides that, kids will love the talking pups.
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Emily002
teen, 15 years old
 
I think that it was a really good movie and it is fit for all ages. I liked the whole movie.
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ScorpiNi
kid, 12 years old
5
 
Good for 5-8 years old
Love this movie. The puppies are SOOO CUTE!
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h.m.222
kid, 12 years old
10
 
not for teens but good for kids
I like it, but it gets kinda' annoying, dogs talking and all
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ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
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