Dog Man * All The Fun And Crazy Characters Of Dav Pilkey’s Comics Brought To Animated Life
Friday, January 31st, 2025
When a police officer and his faithful police dog get injured in the line of duty, a harebrained but life-saving surgery fuses the two of them together — and Dog Man is born. As Dog Man learns to embrace his new identity, he must stop feline supervillain Petey the Cat from cloning himself and going on a crime spree.
KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Juliana S. comments, “Dog Man is such an amazing film! The movie provides messages about how sometimes, no matter how evil one is, all a person (or cat, dog, or fish) needs is a little bit of love. Dog Man has fun, comic-like animation and a musical score that always matches the scene.” IvyJoy C. adds, “I really love the film Dog Man. Not that I’m surprised, I just knew I would. If you, like me, are a fan of the Captain Underpants and Cat Kid comic books, then this is definitely a film you will enjoy as much as I did. It has all the fun and crazy characters of Dav Pilkey’s comics brought to animated life.” IvyJoy C. adds, “I really love the film Dog Man. Not that I’m surprised, I just knew I would. If you, like me, are a fan of the Captain Underpants and Cat Kid comic books, then this is definitely a film you will enjoy as much as I did. It has all the fun and crazy characters of Dav Pilkey’s comics brought to animated life.” See their full reviews and Chase L.’s interview with the creator and star below.
Dog Man
By Juliana S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 16
Dog Man is such an amazing film! The movie provides messages about how sometimes, no matter how evil one is, all a person (or cat, dog, or fish) needs is a little bit of love. Dog Man has fun, comic-like animation and a musical score that always matches the scene.
The storyline is about a highly ranked officer (Peter Hastings) and his dog, who have an unfortunate accident while trying to detain a very evil cat (Pete Davidson) and must be combined into one being. Newly formed Dog Man has to learn how to live a life meant for both humans and animals, while also trying to impress the police chief (Lil Rel Howery). As time goes on, Petey, the evil cat, creates a clone of itself, Lil Petey (Lucas Hopkins Calderon), who ends up playing a crucial part in showing how love is important, no matter who it’s for.
The animation in this film immediately stands out – it looks like a 3-D comic book, but moves. These images are created by an entire team of people, including Paul Phippen and Aymeric Arnaud, the lead DMP artists. What makes this animation so amazing is that it includes certain features that would normally be seen in print comic books such as a pencil-like stroke, or words coming out of a person’s mouth. These features truly strike the movie as an adaptation of an incredible comic book franchise. Of course, the animation is perfectly paired with the music, which is another thing that is noticeable to the audience.
(from left) Dog Man (Peter Hastings), Doctor (Rahnuma Panthaky), Nurse (Maggie Wheeler) and Officer Knight (Peter Hastings) in DreamWorks Animation’s Dog Man, directed by Peter Hastings.
The orchestra, led by Jill Streater, is wonderful at conveying emotional scenes and leads the audience to feel deeply for the characters. The music was created by Tom Howe, and he nailed it. When a scene is sad, the orchestra is quiet and somber; when the characters are happy or excited, the music is upbeat and fast. These carefully thought out music choices make Dog Man all the more better.
The film’s message is that no matter how evil one can be, a little bit of love goes a long way. Dog Man is very successful in leading others to be more empathetic to those who might need extra care.
I give Dog Man 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 18, plus adults. Dog Man can be found in theatres beginning January 31, 2025.
Dog Man
By IvyJoy C., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12
I really love the film Dog Man. Not that I’m surprised, I just knew I would. If you, like me, are a fan of the Captain Underpants and Cat Kid comic books, then this is definitely a film you will enjoy as much as I did. It has all the fun and crazy characters of Dav Pilkey’s comics brought to animated life.
Dog Man starts with a police dog named Greg and his human partner, Officer Knight (Peter Hastings) who are dedicated to keeping their community safe. All is normal until an accident occurs where the two must go through a wacky surgery, which fuses them together to create the amazing Dog Man! While showing off his classic dog skills, such as playing fetch, Dog Man must also protect the city from Petey the Cat (Pete Davison), who hatches a sneaky cloning scheme.
(from left) Dog Man (Peter Hastings) and Realtor (Melissa Villaseñor) in DreamWorks Animation’s Dog Man, directed by Peter Hastings.
With all the craziness, we meet the lovable and adorable Li’l Petey (Lucas Hopkins Calderon) who forms a surprisingly amazing friendship with Dog Man. Eventually, a new common enemy makes Dog Man and Petey realize they must team up, setting aside their differences to tackle the challenges ahead.
Loving the Dav Pilkey books the way I do, I adore how the art style and the script of this film – they capture the wackiness of the books. I commend the director, Peter Hastings, for his outstanding work and also for Dog Man himself. The film truly is designed in such a way to appeal to the target audience, fans of the original books.
Dog Man (Peter Hastings) in DreamWorks Animation’s Dog Man, directed by Peter Hastings.
It really holds true to the comic book series and its goofy nature. My favorite part is when Li’l Petey is taken hostage by the surprise villain known as Flippy the Fish (Ricky Gervais), which leads to Petey the Cat unlocking his inner good and teaming up with Dog Man. I also like when Petey buys a cloning machine off the internet and has a bunch of silly problems that lead to the creation of Li’l Petey.
The film’s message is that everyone has good in them; it just needs the right person, or kitten, to be unlocked. This film contains very slight profanity, but is otherwise okay.
I give Dog Man 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 12. You can find it in theaters on January 31, 2025.
This animated series follows Peter Parker on his way to becoming Spider-Man in the MCU, with a journey unlike we’ve ever seen and a style that celebrates the character’s early comic book roots.
“Eva the Owlet” stars Eva, a creative, cheeky owlet who lives next door to her best friend Lucy in the woodland world of Treetopington. With big ideas and an even bigger personality, Eva goes on high-flying adventures, expressing herself in her diary along the way!
Eva the Owlet is a cute series for younger kids and I am excited to talk about Season 2 because I like this show a lot. It is imaginative and centered towards family which makes it endearing to watch.
The second season follows Eva, the middle child of the Owl family. Eva is voiced by Viviane Rutherford, a young actress whose voice inflection conveys emotion perfectly. This cheeky Owlet reflects on her days by writing in her diary where she contemplates the importance of friendship, happiness, and sharing feelings with someone or something. One of my favorite things about the second series is that there are tiny projects Eva does that are totally doable with your own family – like making superhero acorns or moon wishes for summer solstice.
The show’s message, which comes from the original books, book series, is about how doing good for others makes you happy. There is a lot of focus on helping others, appreciating your family, and being creative with your friends. It inspired me to do those tiny bits of good that make a big difference to someone else. Maybe I will even start to journal!
Growing up in the Amazon rainforest gave Autumn the rarest of friendships — a lost jaguar cub she discovers named Hope. When a tragic event forces Autumn to leave Hope for the unknowns of New York City, she dreams for years of going back to the rainforest and her friend. Aged 14, and having grown accustomed to city life, Autumn discovers her childhood village is under threat from animal traffickers and decides she must return to the Amazon to her beloved jaguar. Anja (Emily Bett Rickards) — Autumn’s endearingly clumsy biology teacher — unsuccessfully tries to dissuade her from this reckless plan. Joined by Anja, Autumn embarks on a journey to reunite with Hope and save her from those who seek to destroy the rainforest and its wildlife.
Autumn and the Black Jaguar is told through a combination of flashbacks and present-day scenes, it shows how one girl, on a quest to save a jaguar, changes the mindset of an entire community.
Autumn’s inspiring journey is a reminder to stand up for those who would do the same for you in your time of need – animals as well as people. Be there for those who have been there for you, because one day you could be depending on them to save you. Autumn and the Black Jaguar also highlights the importance of perseverance. Determination can be the difference between failing and making an impact, even when it seems like the cards are stacked against you.
Unstoppable is the inspiring true story of Anthony Robles (Jharrel Jerome) who was born with one leg but whose indomitable spirit and unbreakable resolve empowered him to defy the odds and pursue his dreams. With the unwavering love and support of his devoted mother Judy (Jennifer Lopez) and the encouragement of his coaches, Anthony fights through adversity to earn a spot on the Arizona State Wrestling team. But it will demand everything he has, physically and mentally, to achieve his ultimate quest to become an NCAA Champion.
Unstoppable is a moving film based on a true story. It’s inspiring and offers an authentic narrative that sheds light on Anthony Robles’ incredible life with great acting and a beautiful storyline.
This beautiful story is accompanied by a fantastic cast. Jharrel Jerome’s portrayal of Anthony is the heart of this film. He has such great dynamics throughout the film, which truly demonstrate Anthony’s personal and emotional growth, along with his physical growth throughout his training. The stunts are done by Anthony Robles himself, making this film all that more special. Jenifer Lopez, as Anthony’s mom (Judy), also delivers a great performance. Her character shows a different side of Anthony’s story – together the two actors have a lovely chemistry which is so vital to the story.
On the surface, the film seems to be a typical sports drama; however director William Goldenberg allows the story to shine on its own. I love when stories show awareness of unknown heroes; I am unfamiliar with wrestling, but watching this film was so inspiring and uplifting. I also love that it goes beyond being a stereotypical story of an athlete striving to reach to the top. I also really enjoyed the cinematography by Salvatore Totino. The cinematography reflects the way Anthony feels internally – his lows are shown in varied gray and cool tones; his highs are brightly and vibrantly colored, which brings life to his story.
