Francis the talking mule gets his owner in and out of trouble while he is taking basic training at West Point.

It lacks the warmth found in the original film, but it is certainly funnier and has a better storyline than the second installment. Some audiences may be put off by the military setting considering that this film is supposed to be a light family film, but it does add some tensions to the story.

Francis the Mule is not quite the center of attention (It is as though the film should be called “Peter Goes to West Point”), but his role is much more involved here than it was in the second film. In fact, the film shift the attention away from Peter Stirling to Francis towards the end of the film.

On the whole, this film is worth your time whether or not you are a fan of the series.