‘Dog Man’ Blu-ray Review
The animation industry has gone hand-in-hand with children’s movies for a long time, and it’s understandable why as the films are often eye-catching, colourful expressions of joy that pop on the screen. Creativity feels unbound compared to live-action movies, where this mortal coil brings everything down to Earth and limits the potential to suspend disbelief. Similarly to animation, horror films have often allowed for unhinged visions of the macabre where creativity feeds nightmares and artists can express themselves through delirious creations of the mind. Peter Hastings’ Dog Man is not a horror movie. Still, its initial concept broaches the grotesque only to turn it into a family-friendly and adorable adventure that revels in its kinetic, vibrant animation and snappy, eye-winking humor.
Dav Pilkey’s Captain Underpants novels were a big part of my childhood. Their colourful and creative depictions of familiar settings brought life to the mundane, and the subsequent film adaptation that happened well after I had stopped reading the books was a reminder of the imagination the novels stoked as a child. Much like the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse series of films from Sony Pictures Animation, DreamWorks Animation had captured the essence of the respective source material through a wonderful blend of 3D and 2D animation that made the films charming in their unique identity while still retaining the allure of Pilkey’s illustrations. I’m pleased to say that the same care and attention to bringing the source material to life has carried through in Dog Man, where Pilkey’s in-universe series of books is brought to the big screen with bright, colourful visuals and dynamic set pieces that set it apart from Pilkey’s other work while still maintaining a passion for the imagination.
Dog Man follows the crime-fighting adventures of the titular character (voiced by writer-director Hastings): a half-dog, half-human hybrid whose inception is spurred on by a horrific accident that leaves Officer Knight’s head damaged and his dog, Greg, left with a body that cannot survive any longer. The concept is hilariously twisted and exemplifies how far animation can go while remaining adorable and approachable for kids. The Dog Man books exist within the Captain Underpants universe as creations from George and Harold, so they have that same morbid imagination that two ten-year-old kids might have while working within the limited illustration ability of children. However, for that reason, it’s important to note that an adult audience’s mileage may vary if expecting the same kind of morbid humour throughout. Accepting that Dog Man is aimed almost purely for children and fans of the novels helps temper expectations while providing a few moments of levity that feel more aimed towards the odd parent seated with their child.
Loosely adapting a couple of narrative threads from a few of the Dog Man books, the film explores the rivalry between Dog Man and the “world’s most evilest cat”, Petey (voiced by Pete Davidson), whose evil plans lead to stealing a cloning machine and creating a younger version of himself named Li’l Petey (Lucas Hopkins Calderon). Disappointed that he’s not old enough to help with any evil schemes, Petey abandons Li’l Petey, who then finds refuge in the care of Dog Man and becomes his sidekick as they try to stop Petey from his next evil plan. The relationship between Dog Man and Li’l Petey ends up endearing, while the absence of his clone from his life forces Petey to re-evaluate how evil he truly wants to be in life. The beats are incredibly familiar, and Dog Man rarely attempts to subvert expectations, though it is playful in its execution.
The most satisfying element of Dog Man is its animation, which livens up the already mesmerizing set pieces and brings a jovial burst of energy to every encounter. Onomotopeia plasters itself on the screen and is subsequently smashed into the world itself, bringing the graphic novel aesthetic into each frame as obviously as possible. The scale of some of the set pieces, especially when it involves Petey’s dastardly inventions, bursts through the frame and visibly shakes Dog Man’s world. The animation style has a similarly crude design as Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie and always feels ramshackle in a way that reflects some of Petey’s cynical views about the world and why he is the way he is. It’s clever animation that mirrors the source material and marries the characters with the world around them.
Dog Man is always moving at a quick clip, even in its joke department, where a lot of the comedy is low-hanging fruit but occasionally gets a jolt of inventiveness in the visual humor. Unfortunately, it’s more of a case of the dialogue never quite being more than the joke itself. Despite a solid voice cast, including Lil Rel Howery, Isla Fisher, and Ricky Gervais, the dialogue sometimes sacrifices a clever quip for a groan-inducing remark, which can be a hard sell for any actor. Everyone seems pretty dialed into their characters and plays them to heightened degrees. Still, there are some noticeable blemishes, like Gervais, whose delivery feels muted compared to everyone else’s animated performances. Overall, the cast is relatively consistent in quality but struggles to overcome a screenplay that is more to-the-point and packed with plot points than it probably needs to be. It results in a fun movie, but one that lives and dies by how much its animation wins you over.
‘Dog Man’ Blu-ray - Special Features
The Dog Man Blu-ray has a bounty of special features (seen below), making it an extremely appealing package for kids to bring home. Drawing and baking lessons make up some of the more fun, interactive segments on the disc, but the commentary is one of the best commentaries for an animated film. Peter Hastings flies solo on it, and there’s the usual celebration of the voice cast and the scenes that are special to him as a director, but it’s the inspirational approach that mirrors what makes the source material compelling as well. Pilkey and Hastings share a very similar philosophy of trying to make the craftsmanship approachable for young kids, and Hastings’s commentary track does a fantastic job of breaking down that philosophy. It extends to some featurettes, such as deleted scenes with introductions from Hastings, which show the more barebones storyboards and the foundations of animation while explaining economical storytelling.
Overall, Dog Man is a fun film, and its Blu-ray release has something for animation, Dog Man, and young fans alike. Understanding that the source material is intended to reflect the imaginations of two ten-year-old kids will be the bridge most audiences will need to cross. As a pure work of adaptation, though, Hastings has done a commendable job. Its vibrant animation and hand-crafted aesthetic make the presentation feel impressive while accounting for some of the film’s shortcomings. The easter eggs packed into each frame will be enough to benefit from repeat viewings, as well the film’s rapid-fire of jokes that can easily go missed as Hastings employs both dialogue and visual gags to grease the wheels and keep Dog Man moving at an entertaining and brisk pace.
DELETED AND EXTENDED SCENES WITH INTRODUCTIONS BY SCREENWRITER/DIRECTOR PETER HASTINGS
Sewer Ball Chase
Petey Robs Bank of Jim
Li’l Petey Adoption People
Petey Puppet Time
Dog Man Chopper Hang Glider
Revenge of the Bank of Jim
Butler Business
Flippy in Jail Epilogue
MEET THE PACK: Go behind the scenes of the DOG MAN recording sessions as we meet the actors who brought the characters to life and watch them perform some of their silliest lines!
THE MAKING OF DOG MAN: A SARAH HATOFF EXCLUSIVE: Ace reporter Sarah Hatoff delivers a special report on the making of DOG MAN! Learn about the story, characters, and comic book animation behind Dog Man’s big screen debut!
HOWL TO DRAW FLIP-O-RAMA STYLE: Join head of story Anthony Zierhut as he teaches how to draw Dog Man, Petey, and Li’l Petey, then learn how to transform your drawings into a Flip-O-Rama!
Dog Man
Petey
Li’l Petey
Flip-O-Rama
HOWL TO MAKE DOUGHNUTS FOR DOGS: Police officers and dogs both love one thing…doughnuts! We’ll show you how to make your own Fido-friendly doughnuts for your canine best friend.
FEATURE COMMENTARY WITH SCREENWRITER/DIRECTOR PETER HASTINGS
