Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Popular puppies turn into superheroes, with mild action.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 5+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
What's the Story?
Tween Bartleby Livingstone (Trey Loney) loves comic books so much, his Gramps (John Ratzenberger) throws him a special superhero-themed 12th birthday party. Bartleby's favorite comic series (written by a local author-illustrator) is about a young boy and his super-dog, Captain Canine (Colin Hanks), who's really an alien hidden in the body of a dog. On his fateful 12th birthday, Bartleby and his friends (each of whom has his/her own Golden Retriever puppy) discover that the comics are actually all true, and that they must help defend the peaceful alien nation against the evil Commander Drex, who has landed in Bartleby's town in search of the "rings of Inspiron." But the kids find the rings first, put them on their dogs, turning them into SUPER BUDDIES.
Is It Any Good?
There's enough slapstick and silliness here to make the kids giggle. The Buddies movies have taken on plenty of genres, so it's no surprise that this latest direct-to-DVD story is an alien/sci-fi adventure. Grown-ups and kids used to alien movies will probably find the movie's representation of extra-terrestrials obviously just humans with giant computer-generated heads. But for the youngest Buddies fans, the aliens are non-threatening enough not to give them nightmares.
As tends to be the case with talking animal movies, the puppies all have sassy catch-phrases and accents, but this movie is just as much about their kid owners as the dogs themselves. The children save the day by figuring out that the comics aren't just pop fiction but an illustrated non-fiction account of an alien race's most treasured artifacts -- the very rings that turn the puppies into superheroes. Parents who look beyond the awful alien depictions can rest assured that another Buddies movie will entertain their little ones.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the continuing popularity of these Buddies movies. Why do you think the studio keeps making them? If you like them what other adventures or genres should the Buddies franchise tackle?
Comic books are an important part of the story. How does reading the Captain Canine comics help Bartleby figure out what's going on? What are your favorite comics?
How do the aliens in Super Buddies compare to those in other movies? What are some other films with peaceful, kid-friendly aliens?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : August 27, 2013
- Cast : Jason Earles , John Ratzenberger , Michael Teigen
- Director : Robert Vince
- Studio : Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Superheroes , Animals , Friendship
- Run time : 81 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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