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| 'Underdog' Doesn't Fly High Enough |
| Live-action update of cartoon miscast |
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Brian Orndorf (briano)  |
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Published 2007-08-05 13:40 (KST) |
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 |  | | | | | | ©2007 Have No Fear Productions | "Underdog" opens with a glimpse of the cartoon hit of the 1960s, which is a dangerous proposition. Why give audiences a peek at what they once loved only to turn it into a live-action bastardization they couldn't possibly recognize?
A disgraced police beagle, Shoeshine (voiced by Jason Lee) has been picked up by the evil Simon Bar Sinister (Peter Dinklage) for a special experiment using enhanced DNA on dogs. Managing to escape after being doused with a special potion, Shoeshine finds his way into the home of young Jack (Alex Neuberger), who enjoys the newfound company. Now blessed with super powers, Shoeshine becomes Underdog, looking to stop crime, woo Polly Purebred (Amy Adams) and thwart Sinister's new plans to rule the city.
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FROM THE SECTION |
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| "Underdog" comes from the limited-imagination school of "Garfield," taking an adored animated creation and turning it into a bizarre live-action situation where the purity of the source material is fogged up by the technology of the update. That said, "Underdog" is not nearly as painful as the lasagna-loving feline, but the senseless nature of the whole endeavor stinks up the film quickly. "Underdog" is one property that didn't need the computer graphics overhaul.
Director Frederik Du Chau, who was last seen killing family entertainment with "Racing Stripes," shows much more filmmaking restraint with "Underdog." He's respectful to the source material to a certain point, making ample room for Underdog's feats of heroism. The picture is actually an origin tale, with the flying canine getting used to his powers for much of the picture, leaving the door wide open for a sequel that should take more advantage of what the "Underdog" world has to offer.
The performances are what ruin the simplistic entertainment value of a dog fighting crime. As much as I adore Jason Lee, his raspy yapping never takes a rest during the whole damn film. The character provides a running commentary to best dumb down the plot for youngsters and to endlessly joke around. Apparently, the idea of a beagle in a red sweater fighting diminutive Peter Dinklage wasn't enough to power the laugh department, so we have our hero cracking wise about everyday dog problems like eating vomit or poop.
Speaking of Dinklage, he's the real horror story of "Underdog." Genetically unable to play camp, Dinklage embarrasses himself as Sinister, hoping to conjure an animated interpretation of cartoon evil, but stopping the movie cold with every wooden moment onscreen.
When sticking to the basics of Underdog taking to the skies to save humanity, the film isn't all that bad. Once back on the ground, the picture gets old quick. Like "Garfield," there's no reason for the film to exist at all, but if the producers get a crack at a sequel, let's hope they give the dog a bigger bone to chew on.
C+
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©2007 OhmyNews
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