Dog
Overview -
Dog is a fantastically sweet road-trip dramedy about a veteran and a service dog who must get along in the confines of a car. It's like The Odd Couple with tail wags and it works well. Tatum turns in an astonishing performance in front of the camera while also hitting a home run with his first directorial effort. The video 1080p HD video presentation and the DTS-HD 5.1 audio track are very good, however, it would have been nice to have this all upgraded to 4K and Dolby Atmos, since the movie is so great. Also, there are no bonus features included here, which is downright upsetting. Still, Dog is a wonderful movie and deserves to be seen, even if Warner Bros. didn't give it the proper treatment. Recommended!
Dog is a buddy comedy that follows the misadventures of two former Army Rangers paired against their will on the road trip of a lifetime. Army Ranger Briggs (Channing Tatum) and Lulu (a Belgian Malinois dog) buckle into a 1984 Ford Bronco and race down the Pacific Coast in hopes of making it to a fellow soldier's funeral on time. Along the way, they’ll drive each other completely crazy, break a small handful of laws, narrowly evade death, and learn to let down their guards in order to have a fighting chance of finding happiness.
Storyline: Our Reviewer's Take
Let's get one thing out of the way here. The dog in this movie does NOT die. In films like this one, it's easy to speculate why that would happen, but that's not the case with Dog. This is a different breed of a film in the best ways. Dogs are more of a road trip comedy with some heavy emotional tones of PTSD with Channing Tatum in the lead. This is a super sweet film full of love and sheds more light on the severe symptoms of PTSD that veterans are suffering from. Dog is fantastic. Highly Recommended for any dog lovers out there.
Most movies of this nature tell a formulaic story that ends in tragedy for the four-legged pet, but in Dog's case, the canine in question has been retired from active military duty already. Lulu has been a war hero for a while and was well respected for saving tons of lives in addition to taking out terrorists. Her handler and owner have unexpectedly passed away and now his fellow soldier Briggs (Tatum) is tasked with driving Lulu from Washington to Arizona to attend the funeral.
For the Full Theatrical Review...CLICK HERE!
Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray
Dog wags its way to Blu-ray courtesy of Warner Bros. This release has a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Code in its hard, blue plastic case and cardboard sleeve. The artwork consists of the poster for the film, consisting of Tatum and the puppy looking directly out from its truck. There is an insert for the digital code inside.
Video Review
Dog comes with a good 1080p HD transfer that has a great digital palette of color and detail. Dog takes place mostly outdoors on a road trip where beautiful landscapes are on display across the country. Natural blue skies mix well with the green pastures and leaves in trees along with the orange dirt and ground. A lot of the film has an amber tint, giving a sunny disposition to most scenes that are bathed in natural sunlight. Interior colors have more blues, greens, and reds to them, specifically in the hotel, bars, and random houses the duo stays in.
The brown and black colors on the canine are rich and fantastic. The black levels are mostly inky, however, they can be a bit murky and soft in the darker sequences at night which can hinder the detail. The skin tones are always natural. The detail is vivid and sharp in well-lit sequences that reveal great closeups of individual hairs on the pup, facial pores, and scars on the actor's faces, along with good textures in props and the wardrobe. Wider shots of the countryside and even the interior of the truck look great. There are no real major issues with this video presentation.
Audio Review
This release comes with a lossless DTS-HD 5.1 audio mix that sounds great. Sound effects are robust and lively throughout, delivering some striking chords in the more dramatic and even comedic scenes. The sounds of the truck stalling or trying to start as its engine revs up have a nice rumble to it. Foot and paw steps on different types of flooring all sound realistic.
Dog barks, panting and whines all sound wonderful here as well. Thunderstorms and gunshots have a nice low end of bass that gives the subwoofer some room to play. The score and song list all bring some good themes and tones that always amp up the drama unfolding on screen. The dialogue is clean, clear, and easy to follow, free of any audio issues.
Special Features
There are no real bonus features on this release, which is quite upsetting. Not even a sweet look at the pups having fun onset or a blooper reel between Kevin Nash and Tatum was recorded? This release needs some great bonus features, but sadly, Warner didn't think there was a need. Criterion, help us.
- Trailer (HD, 2 Mins.) - Trailer for the film.
Final Thoughts
Dog is a super-sweet and charming movie that has some emotional turns and a lot of comedy. Tatum is fantastic both in front and behind the camera as well, and that dog is amazingly cute. Again, the dog does not die in this movie, so for those that are worried about that, everyone can rest easy. It's upsetting that Warner Brothers didn't release this in 4K, nor did they allow for a Dolby Atmos track, or even any bonus features. Hopefully, another boutique company will release this with the respect it deserves. Still, the movie itself is fantastic and that alone warrants a good recommendation. Recommended!
