12 Dogs of Christmas :Great Puppy Rescue - Movie Review

MOVIE REVIEW

12 Dogs of Christmas: Great Puppy Rescue

Also Known As: 12 Dogs of Christmas 2

Network: ?

Original Air Date: ?

DVD Release Date: October 9, 2012


*This is a sequel to the first movie, 12 Dogs of Christmas, which is a very cute Christmas movie. This movie is also available on DVD.

(Image: from Vision Films)

CAST:

Sean Patrick Flanery ... Finneas James
D.B. Sweeney ... Burchess
Danielle Chuchran ... Emma
Alli Simpson ... Alli
Darren Ewing ... Coach
Alisha Mullally ... Miranda
Blake Leszczynski ... Referee
Gillian Foreman ... Finneas's glamorous girlfriend
Angella Joy ... Dog adopter
Carlos A. Cabarcas ... Asper Pluto
Skyler Holman ... Mike

PLOT:

*This is a sequel to the first movie, 12 Dogs of Christmas.

17 year old Emma O’Conner and her childhood best friend, Mikey Stevens find themselves in a race against time and impossible odds to rescue a dog orphanage from an unscrupulous tycoon, Finneas James. This is an action-packed, fun-filled, adventure filled with kids, dogs and many other wonderful surprises.



Movie Review:

12 Dogs of Christmas - Great Puppy Rescue

[WARNING: REVIEW Includes SPOILERS!!!]

I was drawn into this movie thinking it would be sweet and family-friendly, but I must warn you – it was not. I enjoy Christmas Movies that are joyful and put you into the Holiday Spirit. This entire movie, unfortunately, was filled with much sadness and events not ideal for young viewers.

In the opening scene we learn that Emma O’Connor is returning to the town of Doverville for the funeral of Mrs. Stevens... the woman who took care of many orphaned dogs in the first 12 Dogs of Christmas movie. She hitches a ride to the cemetery with a woman from town named Zoe. Emma meets Mrs. Stevens’ son, Mike, next to the graveside and later visits their farm, where they would keep many unwanted dogs.

Knowing he can’t afford to keep his home and the dogs, Emma immediately encourages Mike to find homes for the dogs and leave his home behind and make a new life for himself, by going to school. Getting an education is of course, good advice – but the timing of it seemed wrong – he had just lost his mother.

From there, Emma stays with Zoe, who we learn is a fortune teller. She proceeds to read –Emma’s future, which I personally do not believe in. ( I fast-forwarded.) This occurs in more than one scene. I was truly disappointed this was included in this movie.

Emma then gets on the train to return home, and looks for Mike to see her off, but he does not come. He is actually trying to get there before she leaves... speeding in his truck, with police chasing him with sirens. As the train pulls away, Emma sees his red truck coming down the road and around a curve – and instantly we see the truck flip numerous times. Emma is shocked, but she gets to an exit and jumps from the train – completely unharmed. And, never mind that she didn’t get her suitcase – she’ll still have lots of wardrobe changes to come!

Emma gets to the scene before the police and with the truck already on fire, she pulls Mike out from under the truck - just before it explodes!

Mike does survive, but a doctor informs Emma that whoever pulled him from the truck has paralyzed him. She is horrified. So was I ... is this supposed to be a childrens movie?

Emma stays to take care of the dogs and enrolls in the local school where she just happens to be a legend for the original 12 Dogs of Christmas Pageant Show. Eventually, Emma and the kids at school decide to put on a new 12 Dogs of Christmas Show to help raise money to save the Stevens farm. The school girls do their best to encourage the boys on the basketball team to join them, but they have to bribe them by cheering for their games.

The movie is based on the Depression Era year 1937 and I felt many of their actions were not authentic to this time period. The cheerleading uniforms were completely wrong.... the skirts were way too short. In that era, the hem length of their skirts should have been, at least, to their knees and their cheer moves were way too modern and suggestive for that time. Even their hair-dos were all wrong, but I would have been willing to over-look that, if it had at least been a good story.

Emma becomes attracted to Walker, one of the boys on the basketball team, who just happens to be the step-son of the man, Finneas James, who is trying to take over the Stevens property and get rid of the dogs. They even go to the extreme of setting the Stevens barn on fire. Emma and Zoe get to the barn just in time to rescue the dogs and other animals, out from the fire.

Emma and her school friends eventually put on the 12 Dogs of Christmas Show. Zoe just-so-happens to know the actor “Bing Crosby” and she gets him to perform in the show, too. So, this man, who looks nothing like Bing Crosby sings and pretends to be him.

Also, much of the dancing in the show is not authentic to their era – lots of suggestive moves, rap music, dancing to the jitterbug (which hadn’t been invented yet), and wearing saddle shoes, which were not popular until the 1950s!

During the 12 Dogs of Christmas Show, Walker’s stepfather locks him behind a large dog cage. His friends eventually come to rescue him and they all make it back before the finale of the 12 Dogs of Christmas Show.

Backstage, after the show... Emma kisses Mike on the cheek, and it’s clear to Walker that Emma has feelings for Mike, instead of him. This left me puzzled- because it had seemed that Emma liked Walker, through most of the movie, while Mike was in the hospital. Walker throws a basketball to Mike in his wheelchair and asks him when he'll get out of that thing? What. None of it made sense. He supposed to be paralyzed. Mike says to him, "Sooner then you think," and Emma hands him crutches - and he stands. Also, Zoe somehow, magically finds a metal tin, full of money, that Mrs. Stevens had hidden and the farm is saved.

There were a few redeeming qualities: The scenery was beautiful at the farm. The dogs were cute, but not in the film all the much, except mostly for scenes where they were being taken away. And, the characters were all mostly likable, especially the lead actress, Danielle Chuchran, who portrayed Emma. Please know, I just wasn't fond of this script and the direction this movie took.

All in all, in my opinion, this was not a story that would be good for young children or family viewing. It never truly felt like a Christmas Movie. During and after watching this movie, our family was repeatedly disappointed.


See or Skip:

I must suggest skipping this one.
Not Family-Friendly.


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*Images from the 12 Dogs of Christmas 2 Facebook Page