Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch (also known as Air Bud 4) is a 2002 sports comedy film directed by Robert Vince. It is the fourth film in the Air Bud series and the final one to feature any cast members from the original film.
| Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch | |
|---|---|
 DVD cover art | |
| Directed by | Robert Vince |
| Screenplay by | Sara Sutton Stephanie Isherwood Anne Vince Anna McRoberts |
| Story by | Robert Vince |
| Based on | Characters by Paul Tamasy Aaron Mendelsohn Kevin DiCicco |
| Produced by | Anna McRoberts Robert Vince |
| Starring | Kevin Zegers Caitlin Wachs Cynthia Stevenson Molly Hagan Patrick Cranshaw |
| Cinematography | Steve Adelson |
| Edited by | Kelly Herron Jason Pielak |
| Music by | Brahm Wenger Eric Rohm |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Buena Vista Home Entertainment[a] (United States and most territories) Seville Pictures[1] (Canada) |
Release date |
|
Running time | 93 minutes |
| Countries | United States Canada |
| Language | English |
Plot
editJosh Framm is off to his first year of college and Buddy has stayed behind with Josh's little sister, Andrea, and the rest of the family. Jackie and Patrick have recently welcomed Josh and Andrea's half-brother Noah. Andrea, attempting to fit in with her junior high classmates, decides to join the baseball team. Buddy also has gained the uncanny ability to play baseball.
Just as the season is settling in, a terrible discovery is made — many local athletically talented dogs have mysteriously started disappearing with the help of the dognappers' little helper, Rocky Raccoon. It turns out the dognappers were researchers who were dognapping them because they thought they had a special gene that would enable them to play sports. Buddy must find them and make it to the major leagues as he goes to bat for the Anaheim Angels.
Cast
edit- Kevin Zegers - Josh Framm
- Caitlin Wachs - Andrea Framm
- Cynthia Stevenson - Jackie Framm Sullivan
- Richard Karn - Dr. Patrick Sullivan
- Molly Hagan - Coach Crenshaw
- Shayn Solberg - Tom Stewart
- Hannah Marof and Emma Marof - Noah Sullivan
- Chantal Strand - Tammy
- Jay Brazeau - Professor Roger Siles
- Frank C. Turner - Carlton
- Doug Funk - Mailman Phil / Announcer
- Jim Hughson - Announcer
- Patrick Cranshaw - Sheriff Bob
- Ellen Kennedy - Wilma, Tammy's Mother
- Nick Harrison - Ump
- Jeremy Mersereau - Dog-Hating Fan (uncredited)
- Shooter as Buddy
- Kevin Dunn as the voice of Buddy / Air Bud (uncredited)
- George Lopez as the voice of Rocky the Raccoon (uncredited)
- Bob Saget as the voice of Adult Josh Framm / Narrator (uncredited)
- Jordy Cunningham - World Series Pitcher (uncredited)
- Todd Allan - World Series Catcher/Right Fielder (uncredited)
Release
editAir Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch was released directly to DVD and VHS on June 18, 2002 by Walt Disney Home Entertainment.[2] It was reissued by Disney on DVD on June 16, 2008 in a double-pack alongside Air Bud: Spikes Back. Mill Creek Entertainment reissued the film on January 14, 2020 on a 2-disc boxset, also containing other Air Bud films owned by Air Bud Entertainment.[3]
All five Air Bud films, including Seventh Inning Fetch, arrived on Disney+ on October 1, 2023.[4]
Reception
editCommon Sense Media praised the dogs as being "terrific", but complained that "the writing is weak, the plot is transparent, the characters are clichés, and the situations are ridiculous".[5] Video Business said the film "is a lively outing filled with easily understood characters, colorful sets and costumes and a plot with very few complications".[6] The Video Librarian said the film was "the runt of the litter" and was basically "ham-handed slapstick ... and all the bases are covered in this lightweight comedy, but in such formulaic fashion that we cannot recommend it".[7] Film critic Scott Hettrick of The Los Angeles Times said the film "is a relatively weak installment, even within the confines of this lightweight live-action family series".[8]
See also
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Notes
edit- ^ Under Walt Disney Home Entertainment imprint.
References
edit- ^ "Seville Pictures prepares for new growth". playbackonline.ca. January 20, 2003. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
- ^ Wilson, Staci Layne (2008). Animal Movies Guide. p. 243. ISBN 978-0-9675185-3-4.
- ^ "Air Bud Collection".
- ^ Schwartz, Ryan (September 29, 2023). "The Air Bud Movies Are Coming to Disney+ — Whether John Oliver Likes It or Not". TVLine. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
- ^ Wenk, Sarah (2004). "Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch Movie Review". Common Sense Media.
- ^ McClain, Buzz (April 22, 2002). "Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch". Video Business. Vol. 22, no. 16. p. 19.
- ^ Benson, K. Lee (May 1, 2002). "Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch". The Video Librarian.
- ^ Hettrick, Scott (June 14, 2002). "Buddy's back in game, but this time it's baseball". South Florida Sun - Sentinel. Los Angeles Times. p. 27.
Further reading
edit- Sherman, Rodger (November 8, 2013). "Analysis of 'Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch'". SBNation.
- Burns, Ashley (August 1, 2013). "73 Sports Movies In 73 Days: 'Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch'". Uproxx.
- Gartland, Dan (August 26, 2016). "All 14 Air Bud movie titles, ranked". Sports Illustrated.