A dog and a man sewn together may seem unrealistic, but when looking into the world of books and comics, it’s not unexpected. When Officer Knight and his loyal dog tried to capture the town’s worst criminal, Petey the Cat, they were met with a bomb that left both deeply injured, and the only way to save them was to sew them together. Dog Man was published on August 30th, 2016, and has now become an animated film by Dreamworks that was released in theaters on January 31st. Dog Man is a book series written by Dav Pilkey, who is also the author of the Captain Underpants book series. The film is based on the first three Dog Man books within the series. Dog Man has to face the challenges of being part dog and human, keeping his town safe, fighting Petey the Cat, and saving friendships.
When the Dog Man trailer came out, many were thrilled about the news. The movie is for all ages, as both children and adults enjoyed the film. Those who read Dog Man were glad the animation matched the style of the books. Many viewers were satisfied with how DreamWorks fit the first three books into a film. Audiences found Dog Man humorous and heartwarming, and connected with characters such as Petey the Cat and Chief Bailey. Countless people said the movie was well-structured and that DreamWorks created a fantastic, fast-paced film.
However, numerous people say that DreamWorks wasted the potential of the film. Some adults thought that the language used was not appropriate and didn’t understand the humour in the movie. Parents thought some scenes were not appropriate for the film, such as the sewing of Officer Knight and his dog’s bodies. Other viewers also had a hard time watching because they felt the plot was lost and confusing. Some people felt that the pace of the movie was too fast for them to keep up. Others found the movie to be a huge disappointment and questioned how DreamWorks was able to portray The Wild Robot, a different book animated into a film, so well, but not Dog Man. Some fans who read the books felt like the film was a letdown and didn’t feel the same connection they had to the books.
Most fans thought the movie was mediocre and that DreamWorks could’ve matched the energy and humour of Captain Underpants, another similar book and film. Although fans were glad to see references to different books in the series, they thought it was messy. Some characters, such as Flippy the Fish, another evil character who becomes good within the book series, didn’t have much screen time. Fans either thought those characters had more screen time or shouldn’t have been there at all.
Overall, many still enjoyed Dog Man and were glad DreamWorks animated it. It brought joy and humor to those who watched it. The movie is great for watching with family and friends. Those who never read the books may want to read them after watching the film. Although Dog Man was centered around three books, there were still small references to other books within the series. Fans who always wanted Dog Man to become a film are now satisfied and excited about the movie.
