Space Buddies

Released Year: 2009

Directed by Robert Vince

Voiced by:

Field Cate as Buddha

Skyler Gisondo as B-Dawg

Liliana Mumy as Rosebud

Henry Hodges as Mudbud

Josh Flitter as Budderball

Jason Earles as Spudnick

Amy Sedaris as Gravity

Casted by:

Bill Fagerbakke as Pi

Diedrich Bader as Yuri

Kevin Weisman as Dr. Finkle

 Story:

The film starts as Buddha and his owner Sam are star-gazing. As a shooting star passes, Sam makes a wish that he can touch the moon. The next day is the day of Sam's school field trip to Vision Enterprises to watch a test launch of the Vision 1 space craft. However, since no pets are allowed to go, Sam has to leave Buddha at home. Buddha meets up with the other Budderball, Rosebud, B-Dawg, and Mudbud, and invites them to come with him to go to see the test launch. They hide in the school bus and the bus soon arrives at the Vision Enterprises where the launch is. The dogs go to a space-suit machine and put on space-suits before following the group of students, who are being led by Dr. Finkel. The dogs get aboard the space shuttle Vision 1. At Mission Control in the Vision enterprises, Pi confirms they are ready for launch. Meanwhile, the Buddies take a close look around until they are sealed in the shuttle, which prepares for launch. Astro, who will be piloting the ship from Earth, launches the shuttle, and the shuttle flies to space.

At Mission Control, the humans realize the third tank of gas in the shuttle was never fully filled. With ten hours until the gas runs out, they look for solutions. They eventually decide to pilot the space craft to the old R.R.S.S. (Russian Research Space Station), which was launched during the Soviet era. They contact the cosmonaut living in the space station, named Yuri, telling him to refuel the Vision 1. As Vision 1 connects to the space station, the dogs decide to explore the space station, and they meet a dog called Spudnick who is under the care of Yuri. Spudnick explains that Yuri is quite content to stay in space, yet he wishes to go home. Yuri finds the dogs and becomes happy because the buddies can keep them company. The buddies are trapped in the kitchen, and are saved later by Spudnick. After connecting the fuel pipe to the Vision 1, the gas starts to leak from the pipes. Meanwhile, the buddies and Spudnick rush back to Vision 1 to escape. Yuri activates lock-down to trap the dogs. They manage to get to the Vision 1. Yuri tries to stop them, banging on the control switches. However, some sparks drop on the gas, causing an explosion. Spudnick and the Buddies escape from the R.R.S.S. as it explodes. Yuri barely escapes using the "Cosmo-pod escape vessel".

The Vision 1 travels to the moon. Soon after, the Vision 1 approaches and lands on the moon (Before this event had occurred, B-Dawg had mistaken the moon for the Death Star). They soon begin to get out of the Vision 1 and walk around the area within the place they had landed. Mission Control finds that the sounds from their space helmets happen to be soft barks, and conclude they are golden retriever puppies, and this is broadcast on the news. The children find out through the news ("We're live at Vision Enterprises, where quite a furry tale is unfolding. It seems 5 golden retriever puppies have been accidentally launched into space."). The buddies, while on the moon, meet a ferret named Gravity, who is the Buddies' mission control assistant. But since their only communication is from audio, the buddies don't know Gravity is a ferret. Gravity orders the Buddies to get back on the Vision 1.

When returning to Earth, the path is changed by the untrustworthy Dr. Finkel. The path's telemetry is reverted into a meteor shower. The "auto-avoidance system", takes control of the Vision 1, rotating and shifting heavily between every meteor in its path. However, the Vision 1's data communications antenna is busted to the right when it becomes struck by a meteor. Budderball is sent to repair the antenna by doing a space walk outside of the Vision 1. At Mission Control, the adults are puzzled about the change of the telemetry course of the Vision 1 when Sam accuses Dr. Finkel of changing the path. As Dr. Finkel denies it, Pi uses the security camera to confirm that Dr. Finkel was indeed at the desk at 7:49 PM, the time when the telemetry course was changed. As Dr. Finkel is taken away by security, Sam approaches Dr. Finkel and calls him "Dr. Stinkle."

Mission Control receives Yuri's distress signal in the Cosmo-pod before the Vision 1 enters the atmosphere through the blackout zone. They wait 4 minutes until they arrive, but they arrive early. The Vision 1 ends its mission by slowing down on the take-off strip. The Buddies find out Gravity was a ferret, and so that Butterball replies he is related to skunks. Yuri crashes his pod, and is rescued by some soldiers, telling them he comes from space.

Pi awards The Buddies wings of true heroism, with their title as "Space Buddies". The Buddies review what they did (Budderball was taught how to eat his vegetables from the trip). Once at home, Buddha gives Sam a moon rock he had taken from his journey, fulfilling his wish of touching the moon. The film ends with Spudnick back at home with his old owner Sasha, saying, "It is the journey and friendship that matters the most."

 L² Scored: 3.5/10 

L² Comment:

This is the 3rd installment of Air-Bud series of Disney. For me, the storyline is special, but its a bit boring for adult, maybe it might be cute and special for children :) I really love those 5 golden retriever and the bull terrier~  the rest i don't wish to comment much...