Most of the original team is back for this sequel to last summer's boy and his dog picture, but the flair is gone. Picking up where AIR BUD left off, basketball devotee Josh (Kevin Zegers) is having trouble coping with his widowed mom's (Cynthia
Stevenson) reentry into the dating game. And as before, Josh finds comfort in going one-on-one with his sporty golden retriever Buddy, dubbed "Air Bud" for his fancy ways on the court. Spurred on by best friend Tom, mom's burgeoning social life and Buddy's enthusiasm for receiving killer passes,
Josh decides to try out for the football team, gets a spot as backup quarterback and, through a series of predictable events, ends up leading the Bad News Timberwolves to the state finals. As mom gets serious with genial veterinarian Patrick (Gregory Harrison), Josh freaks out and runs away right
before the climactic game. Air Bud to the rescue! While the first picture demonstrated a low-key confidence in Buddy's doggy charms (sadly, the late, original Buddy has been replaced by another eager-to-please golden retriever: chalk one up for breed consistency) and Josh's family drama, this one
throws in a lame subplot involving a pair of bumbling Boris and Natasha clones named Natalya (Nora Dunn) and Popov (Perry Anzilloti), who are looking to stock a Russian circus with talented animals like Buddy. Every one of their chase scenes rings false, and the final set piece is so ungainly that
only a very small child could be delighted. And while Air Bud looked pretty cool sinking baskets, you can't help but worry about him out on the gridiron: Is he going to get hurt when some opposing team finally figures out how to tackle him? --Sandra Contreras
