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THE STUDIO GATE

It's really hard to go wrong with images of puppies in a kid's movie. "Space Buddies" might not be considered a canine charmer like "Benji" or "Marley & Me" (sans the sadness), but it's enjoyable entertainment for the kids.

"Space Buddies" is now on DVD and Blu-ray disc. This review is on the DVD.

Writer/director Robert Vince has spun a charming tale of the Buddies in space. All the cute canines are back including Mudbud, B-Dawg, Rosebud, Buddha, & Budderball. A new dog, Russian "Dogmonaught" Spudnick, is on-board for this adventure.

Although there have been other movies previously made in the "Air Bud" series, "Space Buddies" has a better script, relies less on sappiness, has some good visual effects and production value. Making the puppies talk, even if the script is predictable, is almost guarenteed to get a kid's attention. By using good voice casting, Vince was able to take this movie to another level. Jason Earles, better known for his role as Jackson on "Hannah Montana," nicely voices Spudnick. Child actors Josh Flitter, Lilliana Mumy, Henry Hodges, Skyler Gisondo, and Field Cate round out the Buddy voices and do a respectable job. 

The pups, like they usually do, get into mischief. This time, it's getting onto a rocket ship and blasting off to meet a Russian Cosmonaught (Diedrich Bader), and eventually walk on the moon.

The visual effects are pretty well done considering the movie probably didn't have a huge budget. Disney is probably making some nice change on the whole "Buddies" concept, so they probably gave the filmmakers something to work with and it shows. It's a handsomely made production and director Vince seems comforable with working with kids and animals. That is no easy task.

These movies don't have deep meaning about people and dogs, nor are they about pulling tears out of your eyes. They're kid's entertainment and meant to play cute on DVD. "Space Buddies" takes a slightly different route by leaning less on cute kids and more on the puppies. That's a refreshing change from the melodrama of the last "Buddies" movie, "Air Buddies" (2006).

"Space Buddies" ain't rocket science, but it's hard to resist the little talking puppies.

Bill Kallay

Special thanks to Click Communications

Photos: © BVHE. All rights reserved.