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Washington Post
30-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
‘Dog Man' is a pretty good movie, in addition to being a very good boy
'Flow,' the dialogue-free Latvian animated epic that's been nominated for two Oscars, presents the absurd and possibly actionable case that cats are more resourceful and virtuous than dogs. Fortunately, the more traditionally kiddie-coded animated feature 'Dog Man' has arrived to right the scales: While its hero is a formerly human police officer with a Very Good Boy's head stitched on in place of his own after an explosion injures them both, the movie's malefactor is Petey, the World's Most Evilest (sic) Cat. Dogs: loyal, constant, self-sacrificing, duty-bound. Cats: scheming, unknowable, pragmatic, amoral. Nature is healing. Adapted from Dav Pilkey's eponymous series of graphic novels (which he spun off from his 'Captain Underpants' books), 'Dog Man' is a loving and visually inventive if somewhat exhausting parody of cop flicks, superhero sagas and dog-cat tension. The animation has a texture and dimensionality that occasionally recalls stop-motion, though it doesn't have the truly handmade quality of the Aardman Animations pictures, for example. If it also lacks the more poetic dimensions of 'Flow' or even the contemporaneous DreamWorks Animation release 'The Wild Robot,' it has taste enough to abjure the instantly dated needle drops and would-be catchphrases that were once a hallmark of DreamWorks cartoons. Whether this relative restraint makes 'Dog Man' more or less appealing to the young viewer in your life depends entirely on the kid. Indeed, parents, grandparents or other elder chaperones in the audience may find the library of references on offer to be surprisingly vintage. There are explicit shout-outs to adrenaline-pumping 1980s classics 'Aliens' and 'Die Hard,' and the premise of a family-man police officer being reborn as an unholy hybrid after a grave, line-of-duty injury is straight out of another '80s hit: 'RoboCop.' 'Dog Man' even pays brief homage to that splattery satire by having its half-canine hero swoon over a photo of the family he had as Officer Knight, while howling along to Hank Williams's 'I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry' — not the sort of soundtrack cut one expects in a TikTok-era kiddie flick. But the movie doesn't lean hard enough into tragedy to have Dog Man attempt to contact his former wife and child. Instead, the family-reconciliation subplot belongs to Petey (Pete Davidson), who is inspired by his precocious clone Li'l Petey (Lucas Hopkins Calderon) to explore the kittenhood trauma that drove him to a life of supervillainy. This brings the white-whiskered Grampa (Stephen Root) into the picture, giving Dog Man three generations of felines to contend with. Screenwriter-director Peter Hastings — who also voices Dog Man's barks, woofs, howls and assorted canine musings — has shoehorned a streaming season's worth of plot into this sub-90-minute enterprise, and its caffeinated tempo makes 'Moana 2' feel like a Terrence Malick joint. (Pilkey has said that his childhood diagnoses of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and dyslexia informed his career as a storyteller, which he acknowledges in the form of Petey's robot-henchman character, 80-HD.) Lil Rel Howery gives the most distinct and lively of the film's vocal performances as Chief, Dog Man's harried superior. He's less troubled by Dog Man's off-leash methods of law enforcement than by the supercop's habit of fetching the wadded-up balls of trash he hurls in the general direction of his wastebasket. Because the warden of the Cat Jail from which Petey keeps escaping happens to be the brother of Ohkay City's Mayor (Cheri Oteri), the mayor looks for a scapepup for these penal failures. Lacking the verbal dexterity to defend himself, Dog Man gets choke-chained off the case, like all great movie cops, right around the end of Act 2. Fortunately, our half-canine hero has as little regard for due-process-bound bureaucrats as Inspector 'Dirty Harry' Callahan did in the Clint Eastwood movies. This, um, doggedness proves to be a boon to the taxpayers of Ohkay City when Petey, seeking reinforcements, revives the previously dead Flippy the Fish, who turns out to be a criminal ally he can't control. Lacking a substantive education in Pilkey's books, I assumed at first that Chief's reference to 'a psychokinetic evil fish' was a 'Watchmen' joke, but nope, Ricky Gervais's Flippy, who emerges as Dog Man and Petey's common foe, is indeed a water-breathing, telekinetic sociopath capable of transforming inanimate buildings into rampaging anthropomorphic mecha-beasts. If those mad scientists had sewn a cat's head onto Officer Knight's body, we'd all be in a lot of trouble. PG. At area theaters. Contains cartoon mayhem, mild potty humor, and dogs and cats living together. 89 minutes.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Dog Man' Could Ease Box Office Slump Heading Into February
'Wolf Man' wasn't the early-year hit that Universal had hoped for at the box office … but what about a 'Dog Man'? DreamWorks' adaptation of 'Captain Underpants' creator Dav Pikey's police dog will try to turn a modest theatrical profit from families looking for a nice time in theaters with the hopes of legging out its run into the Valentine's/Presidents Day weekend. Current projections have the film earning an opening weekend total in the $20 million range, topping out at $27 million against a reported $40 million budget on an animated film produced by British company Jellyfish Pictures. That would put 'Dog Man' in similar territory to the $23.8 million opening of 'Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie' in 2017, a film that went on to gross $73.9 million domestically. The 2022 animated film 'DC League of Super-Pets' also opened in that range at $23 million. With overall grosses expected to remain low between now and the release of 'Captain America: Brave New World' in mid-February, any films that can stem the tide will be welcomed by theaters. Universal is banking on positive word-of-mouth building up over the next two weeks, allowing 'Dog Man' to play through February and possibly top the domestic run of 'Captain Underpants.' Meanwhile, Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema are hoping they have a new cult horror hit on their hands with Zach Cregger's 'Companion,' a film starring Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid about a weekend getaway that turns twisted when it is revealed that one of the people on this getaway is actually a companion robot. Made on a reported $39 million combined production and marketing budget, 'Companion' is projected for a $9 million opening weekend but could show some legs if audiences are as enthused about the mix of twists and biting satire that has left critics raving. Currently, the film has a 94% Rotten Tomatoes score, possibly giving it the early buzz that could make it the next breakout fright flick like 'Nosferatu' or 'Longlegs.' The post 'Dog Man' Could Ease Box Office Slump Heading Into February appeared first on TheWrap.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Box Office: ‘Dog Man' Chases $30 Million Opening Weekend, Sci-Fi Thriller ‘Companion' Targets $10 Million
'Dog Man,' an animated adventure set in the 'Captain Underpants' universe, will sniff and scratch its way to the top of box office charts over the weekend. Universal and DreamWorks Animation's canine-crime-fighting film is expected to collect $25 million to $30 million from 3,800 North American theaters in its opening weekend. Some box office prognosticators believe that with great buzz and pent-up demand for family offerings, initial ticket sales could reach as high as $40 million. For reference, 20th Century Fox's 'Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie' opened to $23.8 million in 2017 and eventually powered to $73 million domestically and $125 million globally. More from Variety 'Dog Man' Review: A Human-Dog Hybrid Fights Crime in an Exhausting Kiddie Cartoon Harvey Guillén Says L.A. Wildfires Left Him in a 'Depressed Dark Place': 'We Need to Create Entertainment Because We Need to Escape' 'Companion' Review: Smarter Than 'M3GAN,' but Still No 'Ex Machina,' Sophie Thatcher's AI-Themed Thriller Makes for a Clever Late-January Surprise 'Dog Man,' not to be confused with 'Wolf Man,' Universal's horror film that released in theaters earlier this month, should indeed benefit from the lack of new kid-friendly films in the marketplace. After all, it's been weeks and weeks since 'Mufasa: The Lion King,' 'Sonic the Hedgehog 3' and 'Moana 2' hit the big screen. And while those movies were able to stick around at the top of domestic charts for a while, theater exhibitors often lament there aren't enough fresh options for parents with youngsters. Based on 'Captain Underpants' author Dav Pilkey's children's graphic novel series, the $40 million-budgeted film follows a human police officer and his faithful dog, who are fused together in a life-saving surgery after they're injured on the job. Pete Davidson, Lil Rel Howery and Isla Fisher lead the voice cast. Also this weekend, Warner Bros. and New Line's R-rated satirical sci-fi thriller 'Companion' is targeting $8 million to $10 million from 2,750 cinemas in its domestic debut. It's expected to bring in another $5 million at the international box office. With solid reviews ('Companion' holds an impressive 93% on Rotten Tomatoes), the film could generate the kind of word-of-mouth that propels a late-January sleeper hit. 'Companion' carries a $10 million production budget, not including its marketing spend, so those box office forecasts indicate a profitable theatrical run. Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid star in the movie, a pseudo-love story that follows a group of friends who travel to the remote woods. Their weekend getaway descends into chaos after a revelations that one of the guests is a companion robot. 'Dog Man' and 'Companion' should help to thaw the icy winter box office. However, attendance isn't expected to heat up until Disney and Marvel's 'Captain America: Brave New World' touches down in theaters on Feb. 14. Sam Wilson to the rescue! Best of Variety What's Coming to Netflix in February 2025 New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in February 2025
Boston Globe
29-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
‘Dog Man' is a real dog, man
Based on the graphic novels by Dav Pilkey, this is the second film in the 'Captain Underpants' cinematic universe. Writer-director Peter Hastings follows 2017′s 'Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie' with this eye-searing, extremely busy, animated action comedy starring the voice talents of Davidson plays Petey the Cat, an evil orange feline mastermind whose goal is to take over the city run by Oteri's angry mayor. Thwarting him at every turn are Officer Knight and his canine partner, Greg. Officer Knight may be the dumbest cop who ever lived — Greg is the brains of this operation — but they still manage to get their cat every time. Petey (Pete Davidson) in "Dog Man." Universal Pictures/DreamWorks Animation Advertisement Unfortunately, Petey is a master of prison breakouts, presumably because the mayor's inferior jail design makes escaping easy. During the kitty crimewave that opens 'Dog Man,' Petey leaves a bomb for Officer Knight and Greg to defuse. Listening to his color-blind partner, Knight cuts the wrong wire. The resulting explosion renders Knight's head, and Greg's body, useless. Two chipper surgeons decide to sew Greg's head on Knight's body. Voila! Dog Man is born. In keeping with the source material, Dog Man does not talk. Hastings provides his occasional barks. Unfortunately, nobody else in this movie ever shuts up, and the endless dialogue they're given is full of exposition and jokes far too juvenile to entertain parents. Adults may be amused by a scene that rips off the most poignant scene in 1987′s 'Robocop.' Before they were blown to smithereens, Officer Knight asked Dog to take care of his girlfriend if anything were to happen to him. Dog Man returns to the house the three shared (for reasons I'm too afraid to fathom), but all that remains in the empty home are memories. Advertisement It worked better when Paul Verhoeven did it. From left: Seamus (Billy Boyd) and Sarah Hatoff (Isla Fisher) in "Dog Man." Universal Pictures/DreamWorks Animation Anyway, Dog Man becomes an overnight sensation, much to the chagrin of his jealous boss, Chief (Lil Rel Howery). In addition to getting chewed out by Mayor every time Petey escapes Dog Man's clutches, Chief has to deal with Sarah Hatoff (Isla Fisher), a reporter who can't stop extolling Dog Man's virtues in the newspaper. Both Petey and Dog Man inherit partners to help them. Petey gets Flippy, a reanimated, formerly dead criminal mastermind fish that's been reinforced with titanium and the voice of Ricky Gervais. Dog Man gets Lil' Petey (Lucas Hopkins Calderon), a kitten who looks like Petey for reasons I won't reveal, if only because it's the best joke in the movie. Don't ask me how Stephen Root fits in as Petey's evil grandfather. The rest of the cast features even more SNL alumni, including cameos by Laraine Newman and Melissa Villaseñor. The big surprise is that none of these talented voice actors bring anything new or interesting to their one-dimensional roles. Gervais in particular sounds like he's reading cue cards, as if just hearing his snide voice would be enough. From left: Petey (Pete Davidson) and Dog Man (Peter Hastings) in "Dog Man." Universal Pictures/DreamWorks Animation In typical DreamWorks Animation fashion, the needle drops are obnoxious (wait until you get a load of Dog Man howling along with Hank Williams). And the animation is so bright and frenetic that I needed ibuprofen after my screening. Look, I know I'm not the target audience for 'Dog Man,' but there's no reason I couldn't have been entertained. After all, I grew up with 'Underdog,' 'Hong Kong Phooey,' and Brain from 'Inspector Gadget' (the closest comparison to this movie), all cartoon dogs I enjoyed watching. Advertisement It's very easy for me to get in touch with the kid I used to be, especially while watching an animated movie. But even with the killer buildings that figure in the film's climax, my younger self would have been equally bored watching this movie. As the credits rolled, I overheard a kid telling his father that 'there were some new things added, but most of the story came from the books. I loved it!' Fans of 'Dog Man' should listen to that kid's review. The rest of you are stuck with me. ★½ DOG MAN Written and directed by Peter Hastings, based on the books by Dav Pilkey. Starring Pete Davidson, Lil Rel Howery, Cheri Oteri, Isla Fisher, Ricky Gervais, Lucas Hopkins Calderon, Stephen Root, Laraine Newman, Melissa Villaseñor. At AMC Boston Common, Alamo Drafthouse Seaport, AMC Causeway, suburbs. 94 min. PG (cartoon peril, jokes about butt sniffing) Odie Henderson is the Boston Globe's film critic.
