Following on from last year's cute Mighty Pups, Ready, Race, Rescue is another extended episode of the PAW Patrol TV series being released in cinemas for the youngest of viewers to enjoy. While parents may puzzle as to why on earth the community of Adventure Bay allow their emergency services to be run by a collection of puppies, toddlers undoubtedly adore the antics of firefighting pup Marshall, construction dog Rubble, German Shepherd police pooch Chase, pilot cockapoo Skye, and their pals.

In this animated adventure directed by Charles E Bastien, the pups have built a racetrack at Adventure Bay and are working as the pit crew for young racing driver Whoosh. When Whoosh sprains his arm and is unable to race, super-fan Marshall takes over but loses to dirty tricks driver Cheetah. With a round the world race coming up, the pups need to figure out what plans Cheetah – and her dastardly uncle, Mayor Humdinger – have to beat the other drivers, and help nervous Marshall win the race.

If your toddler is a fan of any of the dogs who isn't Marshall, they may be disappointed that he takes centre stage and the other puppies barely get a look in. And while they'll probably be entertained by the cute racing sequences – including one which crosses an icy tundra that's presumably around the corner from Adventure Bay's sunnier climate – there's little else to keep their attention until the end.

Unlike Mighty Pups, which had the added element of the dogs gaining superhero powers and felt more tailored to the big screen, there's nothing special enough here to entice adults to cough up for cinema tickets, particularly when their PAW Patrol-loving offspring can watch this episode at home in just a few months.

General release from Fri 24 Jan.