Plot: What’s it about?
Although Josh (Kevin Zegers) has gone off to college to pursue his dreams, his dog Buddy has remained behind and is now in the care of Josh’s sister, Andrea (Caitlin Wachs). While it might seem as though Buddy’s days as a sports have passed, that isn’t the case just yet, as Andrea soon discovers. While her baseball team prepares for another season, Andrea begins to notice Buddy’s talents as a player and soon enough, Buddy decides to take the field. As it turns out, Buddy is a natural and becomes an incredible player, easily the star of his team. Of course, this should come as no surprise, given Buddy’s previous performances in various sports, but this time could be different than the others. While Buddy was gifted in other sports, he shows true big league potential as a baseball player and Andrea’s team shoots toward a terrific season. But all is not well, as Buddy’s puppies have started to vanish from their new homes, which requires Buddy’s attention to be called away from the field. Can Buddy manage to find his puppies, finish the season, and attract some attention from the scouts all at the same time?
This series has now reached its fourth installment and while it remains mildly entertaining, it could be time to close up shop here. I know kids still love Air Bud and the adventures the series offers, but it is running out of gas and will soon become quite tiresome, unless some new spark can be injected into the series. Seventh Inning Fetch is not a bad movie for kids, but it isn’t that good either, the sure sign of a sinking ship in the realm of family films. I have enjoyed the Air Bud movies and this one was no exception, but I can only watch so many of these, unless some new blood is pumped in to spice up the events. It is fun to watch Air Bud tackle another sport, but it is hard to believe what we’re shown here and before long, I think the dogs will be charging the lanes in Air Bud: Seven-Ten Split. So yes, this movie is worth a rental or purchase if you’re interested, but let’s hope this closes out the Air Bud series, as it is obvious the writers have just about run out of ideas at this point. I suppose there’s always hope for the series to improve, but its never really been that good to begin with, so I won’t hold my breath in that respect.
Video: How does it look?
Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch is presented in a full frame transfer, which seems to be an acceptable aspect ratio. As this is a direct to video release, I assume it is full frame by design, but then again, there’s plenty of direct to video widescreen titles, so I cannot be certain as to the intended format in this case. Aside from some minor compression flaws, this is a very good visual effort and should please fans of the series. The colors look bright & bold, flesh tones are normal, and contrast is well balanced, not much else we could want here.
Audio: How does it sound?
A Dolby Digital 5.1 track is housed here, but you’d hardly know it, as this mix is bland and offers little to enhance the experience. I never expect much from family comedy tracks, but this one seems even less active than most and on the whole, just seems flat and rushed, as if Disney didn’t take much time to craft the audio here. The basics come across in acceptable form, but the music and game scenes lack life, which is a let down. Not a bad track, but I think it could have better, no doubt about it. This disc also includes Spanish and French language options, as well as English subtitles, should you need those.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes a baseball themed game, sing-a-long song, gag reel, and a brief behind the scenes featurette.
