Official Synopsis:
Maya Dolittle (Kyla Pratt) just wants to be a normal teenager, but there's one small problem…She's inherited her father's uncanny ability to talk to animals! Her special talent keeps landing her in the doghouse with her parents, and it's driving her friends completely ape! At a summer dude ranch, Maya tries to hide her unique ability so she can fit in, but when her friends are in trouble, she comes to the rescue as only a Doolittle can--enlisting the aid of the ranch's uproarious and outrageous talking animals! This hilarious third installment of the wildly popular Dr. Dolittle series is more family fun than a barrel of talking monkeys…and lots easier to clean up after!
Our Take:
Dr. Doolittle 3 is a short but sweet comedy that's great for younger viewers. For the most part, it’s your typical teenage drama: our main character is a Teenage Girl having to put up with not only regular growing up issues, but also the fact that she’s inherited her father’s ability to talk to animals (okay, that part's not so typical.) Right along with her we’ve got the Cute Boy for our heroine to fall in love with, the competitive Other Chick to be her rival, the Skinny Dorky Kid, the Fat Buffoon, and the Real Bad Guys, who the characters have to triumph over to come out on top.
This isn’t the greatest film, but it’s got a certain charm and it's safe enough to put on for the kids without having to worry about them seeing anything too inappropriate. It’s full of poo-poo humor (literally), but nothing too offensive or anything to be embarrassed about while watching with the family. And of course, what would any of these films be without our main character learning an important life lesson?
For a direct to video release, this DVD is a “Do-lot” compared to some others.
* Commentary - Features director Rich Thorn and actress Kyla Pratt. Interesting for the most part, they’re reminiscing on making the film and adding interesting tidbits and fun facts. Unfortunately, the two weren’t recorded together, which is the only thing that detracts from this commentary.
* The Making of Dr. Doolittle 3 (16 minutes) - A cute fluff piece, featuring behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the actors and the director. Of course, all the actors praise the director, and the director says nothing but pleasant things about the actors. We also get to see animal trainers and footage of how the human actors worked with the animal actors to make the film.
Dr. Doolittle 3 is a family popcorn flick. Pop it in, sit down, and enjoy something fun with the kids.
Overall Picture:
Movie: B-
DVD: B-
- Chris Lawrence
Staff Writer
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