Dog Man (2025) - Film Review

      Dog Man, 2025.

      Written and Directed by Peter Hastings.

      Featuring the voices of Peter Hastings, Pete Davidson, Lucas Hopkins Calderon, Lil Rel Howery, Isla Fisher, Stephen Root, Poppy Liu, Ricky Gervais, Billy Boyd, Luenell, Laraine Newman, Melissa Villaseñor, Cheri Oteri, Kate Micucci, Maggie Wheeler, Pearce Bunting, Max Koch, and Rahnuma Panthaky.

      SYNOPSIS:

      Dog Man, a hybrid of dog and human, is dedicated to protecting and serving as he relentlessly chases after the feline supervillain, Petey the Cat.

      Based on a series of children's graphic novels by Dav Pilkey, director Peter Hastings’ Dog Man illustrates how confining such a character can be when adapted for animation. One might also question whether the writer/director lacks the creativity to make what essentially resembles a kid-friendly RoboCop as engaging and entertaining as it might seem.

      This is a film where a human police officer sustains a fatal head injury while pursuing a scheming, villainous talking cat named Petey (voiced by Pete Davidson), leading a mad scientist nurse to propose sewing the cop’s loyal canine friend's head onto the still functional human body. Although this may sound disturbing for younger audiences, the delivery is light, playful, and humorous, with a plot that moves quickly enough for kids to likely accept it.

      Another significant issue with Dog Man is that it races through ideas and characters to such an extent that none are fully developed, leaving Dog Man (with his barks performed by Peter Hastings, humorously pitched and visually altered to convey his tone) to take a backseat in his own film. Brief attempts at characterization occur amidst the zany exchanges with his feline foe, such as recollections of being a pet to his owner and partner (who swiftly moves out and into a new relationship seemingly before the human body is even buried) or the contrast between job satisfaction (he often receives recognition and achieves more since an intelligent dog brain merges with a human body, eliminating each other's shortcomings) and the loneliness of returning home to sadness.

      While it’s understood this is meant to be a children's film, which suggests avoiding deep existential themes, the filmmakers frequently appear unsure how to handle Dog Man from that point onward. They fail to populate this fictional city with a vibrant society to illustrate the hero’s impact; even the police station feels deserted. Why not show Dog Man preventing minor crimes and assisting civilians to highlight his new skills and challenges before jumping into a montage against a supervillain cat?

      After repeatedly being apprehended and escaping imprisonment, Petey becomes the central focus, acquiring a cloning machine under the belief that two of him can outmaneuver his rival. Instead, the clone turns out to be a child that needs to mature (voiced by Lucas Hopkins Calderon), which frustrates Petey until he gradually becomes more affectionate. More antics follow, revealing what led Petey into a life of crime and touching on how bitterness can be inherited from parents. There's also family drama involving Petey’s father.

      Simultaneously, a deceased psychokinetic evil fish awaits revival, the police chief (voiced by the always lively Lil Rel Howery) spends his time shouting about various issues while trying to keep the mayor happy and hiding his not-so-secret affections for a reporter, and Dog Man forms a friendship with Lil Petey, unaware