Beethoven's Treasure Tail

All slapstick, all the time. Falls, crashes, chases, and encounters with a spider, a skeleton, pirates, bats, and bad guys. Beethoven wreaks havoc at parties, meetings, and in the streets of a small town; people tumble, food often is airborne, objects careen wildly. Some suspense as a young boy searches through an underground tunnel/caves; it's dark and meant to be funny-scary. Other than assorted bumps, black eyes, and bruises, no one is hurt.

"Bugger Schnugger," "freak," "crap," "Don't be schtupid." Dog farts abound, complete with lengthy scenes of people reacting to the smell.

A pirate drinks from a jug that presumably contains an alcoholic beverage.

Parents need to know that Beethoven's Treasure Tail is another adventure for Beethoven, the lovable St. Bernard who first appeared in theaters in 1992. The film is filled with silly characters, cartoon action of the dog trampling through one busy set piece after another, and multiple scenes of people reacting broadly to Beethoven's farts. It's standard, basically harmless entertainment. The story involves a young boy who's still grieving after his father's death and a budding romance between two likable adults. Meant for kids who understand "real" versus "cartoon" violence; the young hero encounters a wicked villain, a spider, bats, and a startling skeleton. Two fantasy sequences -- one a jewel robbery in a casino, the other a recreation of a pirate crew battling each other -- set the stage for the real-life Beethoven-induced farce that follows: falls, crashes, chases, and general mayhem.

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