“Underdog” (Walt Disney Pictures)
A Dog Saves the Day
“Underdog” is the perfect movie for five and six year olds. For all else, well this film is no “Lassie.” It is all about a dog with super powers that flies about saving the day. Watching a dog do these heroic feats is fun for the first half of the movie, after that it is all downhill.
The movie starts with the introduction of a police dog that supposedly has drug-sniffing powers. When one of his “sniffs” proves to be embarrassingly wrong the dog wanders out in the street where he is captured by a man named Cad (Patrick Warburton). He takes the dog to a lab operated by a mad scientist named Dr. Simon Barsinister (Peter Dinklage).
At the lab the dog escapes but not before being doused in a variety of chemicals. Somehow these give the animal super powers. It also gives him the ability to talk to humans. He finds this out when he is discovered by ex-cop Dan Unger (James Belushi). He takes the dog home and names him “Shoeshine.”
Dan’s son Jack (Alex Neuberger) is the one who discovers the dog’s powers, and also that he can talk. He also names his super persona “Underdog.” The two keep the dog’s identity a secret when he begins to fly around the city saving different people.
The dog playing “Underdog” is cute and loveable. You actually accept the fact he can fly and talk and do a hundred more special things. Jason Lee also does a great job of giving him a voice. The human actors in the film are not as good. James Belushi is very low key in his role. You expect some comic moments from him but they never arrive.
Dinklage overacts in his role as the mad scientist. He chews up the scenery but it is in keeping with how the role should be played. He does overdo it a bit but at least he is trying. Neuberger is just blah as Jack. His inability to really get into his role affects the feel of the entire movie.
Warburton is the real comic heart of the movie. He has perfected the slightly addled, slightly effete person who is too dumb to be effective and too narcissistic to know how dumb he really is. Warburton throws himself into the role of “Cad” and makes him the highlight of the movie.
The film is rated PG for violence and mildly crude humor.
The basset hound and Warburton are the two reasons to take your kids to see this movie. They do all they can to make this film about a super-powered dog a winner. For about half the movie they succeed.
I scored “Underdog” a high flying 5 out of 10.
