Super Buddies – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Super Buddies

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2013

38%

WISE Score

Talking puppies get superpowers in this fifth Air Buddies installment that's safe for little kids but creatively bankrupt for everyone else.

Super Buddies

movie

G, 2013

38%

WISE Score

Talking puppies get superpowers in this fifth Air Buddies installment that's safe for little kids but creatively bankrupt for everyone else.

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Screenwise Verdict

Look, let's be honest: Super Buddies is what happens when a franchise runs out of ideas but Disney still has a direct-to-video quota to fill. The fifth Air Buddies movie slaps superpowers onto talking golden retrievers and calls it a day.

Is it safe? Absolutely. Will it traumatize anyone? Not a chance. Will your 5-year-old watch it without complaint? Probably. But that 4.3 IMDb rating isn't lying—this is objectively not good cinema, even by kids' movie standards.

The movie exists in that weird space where it's too boring for older kids, too formulaic for adults, but just colorful and puppy-filled enough to distract a preschooler for 81 minutes. If you need something genuinely safe to occupy a young child while you make dinner, fine. But there are dozens of better options on Disney+ that won't make you question your life choices while watching.

Age Fit

Best for ages 4-7 who are still in the 'talking animals are automatically entertaining' phase. Kids over 8 will likely find it babyish and boring, and even younger kids might prefer literally any Pixar or DreamWorks movie.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Part of the Air Buddies franchise, this film features talking puppies with superpowers working together to save the world. The teamwork and cooperation themes are positive, and the tone is consistently kid-friendly without mean-spirited humor. However, the movie leans heavily on formulaic direct-to-video tropes and lacks emotional depth or nuanced character development that would make it truly wholesome rather than just innocuous.

Imaginative

Talking dogs getting superpowers from alien rings is a premise with potential, but this is the fifth Air Buddies movie and the creativity feels exhausted. The superhero angle is derivative rather than inventive, essentially slapping a cape on an existing franchise. There's minimal world-building or original concepts—it's more 'what if we did Air Buddies but with powers?' The low ratings (4.3 IMDb, 2.5 Letterboxd, 55% RT audience) suggest audiences found it uninspired and predictable.

Safe

Common Sense Media rates it for age 5, indicating minimal content concerns. As a Disney direct-to-video kids movie, it avoids violence, scary imagery, or inappropriate content. The superhero battle premise is handled in a very mild, slapstick manner appropriate for young viewers. No unexpected trauma or disturbing elements. Docked slightly because even within the Air Buddies franchise, there can be mild peril that might startle very young or sensitive kids.

Enriching

This is entertainment cotton candy—sweet, forgettable, and nutritionally void. The movie offers basic 'good vs evil' and 'teamwork wins' messages but nothing that stimulates critical thinking or emotional growth. The low critical reception (4.3 IMDb is genuinely poor) suggests even its entertainment value is questionable. It's not teaching problem-solving, doesn't explore interesting themes, and won't spark meaningful conversations. It exists to fill 81 minutes, not to enrich young minds.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Completely safe for young children—no scares, violence, or inappropriate content beyond mild cartoon peril
If your kid is obsessed with the Air Buddies franchise, this gives them more of what they want (talking dogs, now with capes)
Short runtime means it won't monopolize your entire afternoon
Positive messages about teamwork and using your abilities to help others, even if delivered with zero subtlety

⚠

What to Watch For

This is a 4.3 on IMDb—that's genuinely bad even for kids' movies, so manage expectations accordingly
Direct-to-video quality means lower production values, weaker voice acting, and a script that feels like it was written during a lunch break
The superhero premise is incredibly derivative and may bore kids who've seen any actual superhero content
Parents will likely find this painful to sit through—have your phone charged

Conversation Starters

"If you could have any superpower like the puppies, what would you choose and how would you use it to help people?"
"The puppies had to work together as a team—when have you had to work with friends to solve a problem?"
"What do you think makes someone a hero? Is it just having powers or something else?"

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