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Parents' Guide to

The Dog Who Saved Christmas Vacation

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Holiday sequel lacks zest but still has merit for families.

Movie PG 2010 89 minutes
The Dog Who Saved Christmas Vacation Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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What's the Story?

It's days before Christmas, and the Bannister family is ready to settle in at a cozy cabin in the snowy Rocky Mountains for a quiet holiday. But the unexpected arrival of Belinda's (Elisa Donovan) rowdy brother, Randy (Casper Van Dien), throws a wrench in their plans and irks uptight George (Gary Valentine). When the Bannisters' dog, Zeus (voiced by Mario Lopez), takes an interest in Randy's poodle, Bella (Paris Hilton), things start to heat up, and the arrival of two inept criminals -- who just happen to be the ones Zeus stopped from robbing the family last Christmas -- further complicates the vacation. A twist of fate puts Stewey (Joey Diaz) and Ted (Dean Cain) on Zeus' trail this time around, but when they threaten Bella's life, the former police dog springs into action to rescue his beloved ... and salvage the family's holiday.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (1 ):

THE DOG WHO SAVED CHRISTMAS VACATION follows on the heels of the heartwarming original, but comes up a little short in both emotion and entertainment value. Sure, the chronic misfortunes of the likable "villains" are good for some laughs, and George and Randy's infighting will ring true with viewers who have experience spending the holidays with obnoxious relatives, but overall, this movie lacks both sugar and spice.

The good news is that if you're inclined to tune in with your kids, you won't have to worry much about the content. There's some potty humor (farting and mention of wetting pants, for instance), mild suspense, and marginal language (one instance of "damn" and some name-calling like "jerk"), and the movie's overuse of the resort setting's name makes it feel like a commercial for Keystone, but other than that, it's fairly tame and acceptable for families. Young kids may need some reassurance about a positive outcome when Bella's held hostage by the robbers, but the movie's messages about family ties and seeing past appearances are worthwhile for all ages.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how you can judge someone's character. How long do you have to know a person before you can get an accurate view of him or her? Have you ever prejudged someone? How does modern technology like social networking affect how we establish relationships?

  • In what ways is your family like the Bannisters? Are there times when it's hard to be around certain relatives? Are you forced to grin and bear it, or do you air your frustrations with them? Is honesty always the best policy in circumstances like this?

  • How does this movie compare to the first one? Do you think it's always a good idea to make sequels? Which movies have you seen that you wish would have a sequel? Which ones could have done without follow-ups?

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