Dog Man Buzzed Review: This Dog Had Its Day

Where My Dogs At?

This is for the “young” millennials. You’re in elementary school, and it’s the best week of the year.

The annual Book Fair.

From Lamborghini posters to Zoobooks and everything in between, the annual Book Fair had you hyped as a kid. And as you browsed through all of the books, you saw it—a man with a red towel cape, whitey tighties, and a big bald head. It was Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey. The childlike wonder of those silly books shaped your early potty humor as you added all of his adventures to your reading log. After his first Captain Underpants book all the way back in 1997, 19 years later, he introduced us to his next great hero.

Dog Man.

Dog Man is the newest hero from the mind of Dav Pilkey, and after 12 books of the canine hero, DreamWorks decided it was time to let this Dog Man off the leash. DreamWorks has been incredibly successful with its animated movies as of late, but does Dog Man keep the streak alive? Now, it may not be the best DreamWorks movie or even a top-10 DreamWorks film, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth the price of admission.

Dog Man has a lot of positives going for it, starting with its animation. While many will see this animation as childish, it is a perfect resemblance of the original books. Pilkey’s art style is showcased throughout the entire film, and it oozes with childlike wonder. From characters interacting with words to outlandish settings, Dog Man has an enjoyable amount of charm.

The voice acting carries a ton of personality in this film. The voice cast has a ton of star power, with Lil Rel Howery as the comically frustrated Chief, Isla Fisher as the spunky reporter Sara Hatoff, and a surprising role from Ricky Gervais as the dastardly villain Flippy the Fish! Even the side characters and citizens of Ohkay City bring a ton of funny quips to the movie. But what if I told you the best part of Dog Man was his feline arch-nemesis?

Cats Out Of The Bag

This film may follow the life of new “Supa Cop” Dog Man, but where this movie shines is with its main antagonist, Petey the Cat. Pete Davidson is essentially playing himself as a cat, and it’s possibly his best outing to date. Petey may be a classic cartoon villain, but what Davidson brings to Petey is a sense of realism—if you can believe it or not.

Petey may be scarred by the world, but that doesn’t mean he’s lost hope in it. We see, almost as if Petey and Pete, are maturing in front of us. The maturity that Pete brings is what makes this villainous feline the standout star. His chemistry with his “mini-me” clone, Lil Petey, is thanks to his actor, Lucas Hopkins. The young actor showcases Lil Petey as a naïve, overly curious, and optimistic kid who only wants to make his “papa” happy. The shift in character dynamic that Petey goes through is the catalyst and driving force of the movie.

Final Verdict

After a solid 4-pack of beers and 12 pork dumplings, I went into Dog Man in a good mood and with a full belly. I am happy to report that after the fast-paced film, Dog Man is a fun romp for the pups. But even better, it isn’t bad for the parents either.

A quick run time, animation that does the source material justice, jokes that hit for the kids with some well-placed adult humor moments, a fantastic outing for Pete Davidson, and a surprisingly authentic showing of emotional growth and maturity. Dog Man isn’t the best DreamWorks film, but it is the best canine-human hybrid film of the year.

Sorry, Wolf Man, but Dog Man is top dog.