I had really low expectations for this film. I was immediately interested and engaged with the opening scenes. I was so sure it would all fall apart soon after. But actually- it was cohesive, there seemed to be a well-developed narrative, and my kids liked it. Usually when a film starts falling apart, me and my kids will lose interest. But we were able to sit through the entire film twice. The acting style was over the top, and I think if they pulled back a little into realism, it might allow us to actually pay attention to the dialogue. There were some dialogue scenes in the middle that were difficult to pay attention to. A few funny lines with the main characters and fun action scenes with the dog. The male and female leads had little chemistry- not romantic chemistry... not any type of relationship like friendship or brought together by a common interest or as rival- just felt nothing there. Yes, they are on screen together, but I felt no connection. The kid was memorable. Acted more realistic than the adults. Decent work considering where it sits in this series. I'm rating it on its own merit here and not comparing it to other films I've rated.