DVD review (region 1)
Directed by Raja Gosnell
Starring Drew Barrymore (voice), Andy Garcia (voice), George Lopez (voice), Cheech Marin (voice), Edward James Olmos (voice), Piper Perabo, Jamie Lee Curtis, Manolo Cardona
Release date Out now

When spoilt rich girl Rachel (Perabo) takes her aunt’s prized Chihuahua, Chloe (Barrymore), on a trip to Mexico, she’s horrified when the pampered pooch is dognapped. But Chloe manages to escape from the hands of the bad guys with a little help from gruff German Shepherd Delgado (Garcia), and the mismatched doggie duo make the long trip back to Beverly Hills…

Dog-themed movies have long been a Hollywood staple, from Old Yeller to Turner and Hooch, but the last year has thrown up a seemingly neverending stream of canine capers: Hotel for Dogs, Marley and Me, Bolt, Wendy and Lucy…and, yes, Beverley Hills Chihuahua.

This one is the worst of the bunch, a witless comedy-adventure full of mawkish self-discovery, uncomfortable Mexican stereotypes (both in human and animal form) and a flurry of weak subplots (including the adventures of an unfunny lizard and rat duo and Rachel’s gradual romance with her gardener Sam). Inevitably, both Chloe and Rachel learn that there’s more to life than their privileged existence, though it doesn’t serve to make the characters any less irritating.

Aside from a couple of throwaway movie in-jokes (Diablo, a quasi-revolutionary desert Chihuahua, tells our heroes to “say hello to my little friends!”), there is little appeal here for adults. But then this is a children’s film aimed squarely at dog-loving under-12s, and its target audience should enjoy the simple, predictable caper despite its shortcomings.

Extras include a commentary from director Raja Gosnell and an animated guide to Chihuahuas. James Skipp

VERDICT: 3/10
Weak comedy that is more Look Who’s Talking Now than Babe.