Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Popular pups stow away to Egypt; expect farts and slang.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 5+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Treasure Buddies
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 3 parent reviews
Based on 15 kid reviews
Kids say that while some found the movie to be an exciting adventure with entertaining moments, many reviews highlight issues with stereotypes, racism, and an overall boring plot. Although there are mixed opinions regarding its suitability for young children, it generally appears to serve as a simple, family-friendly distraction.
- boring plot
- stereotypical themes
- fun adventure
- suitable for kids
- mixed reviews
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In the newest addition to the Buddies franchise, the pups are the grand-puppies of a famous archeologist's devoted dog, Digger. When retired archeologist Thomas Howard (Richard Riehle) and his grandson, Pete (Mason Cook), are asked to help a rich patron (Edward Hermann) travel to Egypt to find the legendary necklace of "Cleocatra," Cleopatra's once beloved but then banished cat, the Buddies -- Rosebud (voiced by G Hannelius), B-Dawg (Skyler Gisondo), Budderball (Tucker Albrizzi), Buddha (Charles Henry Wyson), and Mudbud (Ty Panitz) -- stow away on the trip. They discover that the Howards are being misled, so they join forces with a camel and a monkey to save the day before an evil cat dons the necklace to reclaim feline domination as "man's best friend."
Is It Any Good?
This installment in the intrepid puppies series is less frightening than Spooky Buddies and provides an interesting storyline that takes kids on a virtual adventure to Egypt. Although there's some expected potty humor (dog emissions continue to be the apex of comedy in these movies), canine shenanigans, and an obnoxious level of text speak (OMG!) and slang ("bling," "dude," "dawg"), it's got decent actors (Hermann and Riehle are fine character actors) and a fun voice cast.
The doggies-meet-Egyptian lore tale is more inventive than some of the other movies and offers an ancient dogs vs. cats basis for the story. Kids shouldn't consider the Cleopatra story to be historically accurate, but the Egyptians really did revere cats as sacred being. That could lead to a welcome fascination with ancient cultures or at least an interest in visiting a museum or two. Overall, TREASURE BUDDIES is a decent DVD pick for a lazy afternoon for kids old enough to handle live-action but still young enough to appreciate talking puppies.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why filmmakers take liberties with historical characters and events in order to make a story fit their needs. How is Egypt usually portrayed in movies? How accurate is that portrayal? What do you know about Egypt today?
How do the Buddies and Pete and his grandfather work together to defeat the story's villains? Who helps them along the way? What cultural lessons do they learn about Egypt?
Why are the Buddies movies so popular? Do you think the puppies should continue to go on various adventure, or should the series end? Are the talking animals funny when they use slang and catchphrases?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : January 31, 2012
- Cast : Edward Herrmann , Richard Riehle
- Director : Robert Vince
- Studio : Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Adventures , Animals
- Run time : 93 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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