Common Sense Media Review
By Brian Costello
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Confusing animated animal tale has some iffy humor.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Pet Pals
What's the Story?
Long ago, the Evil Crow Witch was an aspiring magician. But when she claimed she could jump off a bridge and float five centimeters over the canals of Venice, she fell into the water and became a laughing stock. She swore revenge, and is now scheming to find a way to drain the canals. Standing in her way are the Pet Pals, a ragtag group of furry animals who are also in the hunt for Marco Polo's Code, which contains the mysteries about the secrets below Venice. The Pet Pals must work together to discover this code before the Evil Crow Witch and her minions discover it and use it for their own foul purposes.
Is It Any Good?
Riffing off The Da Vinci Code with the "Marco Polo Code," PET PALS is a somewhat confusing adventure/mystery with some iffy content. When the most likeable character is a canary who doesn't speak, you know you're in trouble. While the main story is easy enough to follow, everything else is a jumble of nonsensical scenes that feel unnecessary.
While younger viewers might enjoy the cuteness of the Pet Pals themselves, there's a good chance they will be scared off by the Evil Crow Witch -- the leader of the bad gang -- who frequently addresses the audience and makes threats to them in a loud, scary voice. Pair this with moments when a cartoon character is shown standing in the street in her bra and panties, and you are left with questionable content and awkward pacing in what could have been an enjoyable story for the entire family.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the quality of movies. How do movies of lesser quality get made? Who makes the decision to produce these movies? Who is the audience for these kinds of movies?
How do the individual Pet Pals stand out from each other? What were some of the positive messages in this movie?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : September 4, 2012
- Cast : Belinda Keller , Marc Matney , Steve Rassin
- Director : Sergio Manfio
- Studio : Phase 4 Films
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Animals
- Run time : 95 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : some mild rude humor
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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