Super Buddies

Five puppies at Fernfield Farm discover a set of mysterious rings that give each of them a distinct superpower. The find pulls them into a conflict that began far from Earth: an alien dog named Captain Canine needs their help against Commander Drex, a shapeshifting villain who sets his sights on the planet. The pups must learn to use their new abilities while keeping their secret identities hidden from the people around them.

Robert Vince directed and wrote the screenplay with Anna McRoberts, and both produced. The 2013 release runs 81 minutes and is the twelfth of the fifteen films Vince has directed, following Treasure Buddies and preceding Monkey Up. It is part of the long-running Buddies series of family films centered on talking golden retriever puppies. The credited cast numbers 32, among them Michael Teigen as Sheriff Dan, Tim Conway as Deputy Sniffer, Kimberley Sustad as Joanne, and voice work by Maulik Pancholy and Genevieve Hannelius.

Audience response has been modest and divided. On IMDb it holds a rating of 4.3 from around 2,100 votes, while on TMDB it stands at 6 out of 10 from roughly 155 votes, a small sample that is noticeably more favorable than the larger one. The film was produced for home entertainment rather than a theatrical run.