Parents' Guide to PAW Patrol: Ready, Race, Rescue!

In the gang's second big screen adventure, this story makes a handbrake turn and takes a different direction to the TV series. All of the pups, along with the group's leader, Ryder -- arguably a blessing for some parents -- are sidelined, apart from Marshall. Basing Paw Patrol: Ready, Race, Rescue! around just one of the pups is likely to divide younger audiences, depending on how much affection they have for the Dalmatian puppy. Thankfully Marshall navigates his leading role with ease, offering humor, a contagious enthusiasm, and a few important life lessons along the way. There's also something to be enjoyed from the two villains of the piece -- Cheetah and Mayor Humdinger (Ron Pardo) -- both caricatures of skulduggery, complete with mustache twirling and cackling.

That's not to say some of the franchise's existing issues are overcome. Any sense of realism needs to be left at the door -- a round-the-world race takes only a few minutes to complete. And the decision to give a new female character a pink car seems baffling -- particularly as the series has been criticized for gender stereotyping in the past. But with a runtime that's just about right for its target audience, Paw Patrol: Ready, Race, Rescue feels like a treat for fans of the series. Albeit one that could be watched at home rather than warrant a trip to the theater.