Snow Dogs Review

Disney's cinema release for this half term is "Snow Dogs," the live action tale of Miami dentist Ted Brooks (Cuba Gooding, Jr) who travels to a remote small town in Alaska to claim a

mysterious inheritance. However his plans to simply photograph, catalogue and sell his new found possessions change when he discovers the most valuable thing left him is a mischievous pack of sled dogs. Turning down repeated offers from crusty mountain man Thunder Jack (James Coburn, hamming it up wonderfully) to buy the dogs Ted decides to learn how to 'mush!'

Although unlikely to repeat its surprise US success on this side of the Atlantic (well, it didn't have "Star Wars" to contend with there!) this lightweight comedy should nevertheless go down well with the children's audience it is so obviously aimed at. Watching the inept Ted struggling with his cunning dogs should put a smile on any young faces in the audience, even if the action scenes on snow clad mountains are a little lacking in thrills. Although supporting stars Nichelle ("Star Trek") Nichols as Ted's elegant mother and r & b star Sisqo as his cousin & fellow dentist have little to do, the dogs are all cute enough, Gooding Jr is fine as the fish out of water Ted, and James Coburn utterly splendid as the grumpy old man that we just know has a heart of gold (this is a Disney movie after all!).