The new adaptation of Dav Pilkey’s Dog Man attempts to capitalize on the momentum and popularity of its parent series, Captain Underpants, but something is missing in Dog Man​​. While it’s hard to argue with the inherent appeal of a crime-fighting super-dog, Dog Man consistently bites off more than it can chew. It stars Pete Davidson, Isla Fisher, Lil Rel Howery, and Ricky Gervais, to mention a few of the big names who populate the cast. The film was clearly made with love, but it packs in so many conflicting storylines that it gets difficult to keep track.

Due to the recent influx of enormously popular and high-quality children’s animated movies, a high bar has been set for films like Dog Man. Unfortunately, I can’t help but feel the movie is talking down even to its target audience. I went into Dog Man intending to meet the movie where it’s at and not unjustly judge a story not made for me. However, I’ve seen the best of what kid’s animation has to offer. I know there’s a more emotionally compelling and universal story inside Dog Man​​​​, not to mention a better-crafted one.

Dog Man Can’t Decide What Kind Of Movie It Wants To Be

The Story & Themes Of Dog Man Lack Cohesion & Balance

Visually, the animation style of Dog Man is imaginative, but it’s nothing we haven’t seen before. Standing out is difficult in the contemporary landscape of animation, especially when you have to adhere to the source material. The animators and production team, led by director Peter Hastings, were having a lot of fun, and the movie is at its best when it’s trying to make you laugh. Of course, the jokes are silly and immature, but that’s part of the joy of watching a film like Dog Man​​​​​​. The narrative gets bogged down in its attempts to be serious.

Dog Man‘s biggest issue is a lack of tonal balance. The story is almost shockingly dark at times, grappling with death, loss of idenтιтy, and the cycles of abuse and abandonment in childhood. However, just as we’re sitting with an objectively heavy scene, the tension is broken or completely undercut. Additionally, the amount of story threads Dog Man tries to reconcile is absurd for a children’s movie. If the narrative had been pared down and focused, the humor and sensitivity of the project could’ve shone.

Despite this, Dog Man‘s voice cast does their best to grapple with the script’s whiplash, giving the darker elements as much weight as possible. The real star isn’t the тιтular character, but Petey the Cat, voiced by a surprisingly sensitive Davidson. Since Dog Man doesn’t have any lines, just a few barks, and many whimpers, it’s the supporting characters who make the world real. Unfortunately, Dog Man spreads itself too thin at every turn, cutting away from Petey and his emotional development just as it’s becoming truthful.

Outside the narrative structure, there are plenty of strong elements, like the final mecha-style battle that rounds out the final act and the way the world is designed. Fans of the books will have no trouble recognizing some of the strongest elements of Pilkey’s work and easily give in to being transported to Dog Man​​​​​​’s whacky reality. The internal logic of the world is sound and consistent, creating an anchor for when the story gets swept away by its lofty ambitions.

Dog Man Talks About A Lot Without Saying Anything

Despite Its Many Plot Threads & Happily Ever After, You Don’t Leave Dog Man Feeling Satisfied

Dog Man is trying to tackle too many themes and morals at once, creating a mess instead of a cohesive and accessible lesson. Even though the movie supplies the expected beat of the final battle and sees the villains learn the error of their ways, the narrative ends with a whimper, not a howl. Slowly petering out while making sure to pave the way for a sequel, Dog Man‘s ending goes on for a little too long and doesn’t get a handle on its pacing. It’s painfully reflective of the problems that haunt every moment of the film.

Children will appreciate the humor and visual gags of Dog Man, but the adults accompanying them might be a little unsettled by the end of the story. While it’s a mistake to underestimate what children can handle and think that kid’s movies can’t be nuanced, these stories still have to be good. Dog Man somehow manages to over and underestimate its audience throughout the narrative, leaving even the least critical viewer confused. If Dog Man was trying to set itself up for a franchise and the kind of blockbuster success animated movies found in 2024, it would take a miracle.