WARNING: This Article May Contain Spoilers
You know how the Good Guy dolls in Chucky say “I’m your friend to the end”? Well, isn’t that the case for a dog – especially as there are stories of dogs waiting for their owners at stations because they don’t know they’ve passed away. On the flip side, we also hear several stories of dogs attacking people. So I can understand how they can strike fear into people.
Watchers
Before watching this film, I didn’t know that it was based on a book by Dean Koontz. Having now seen it – I kind of want to read it! What isn’t clear in the beginning is if the Ox-com is another dog that is telepathically linked to the Golden Retriever we see running from the explosion but more vicious or if it is some other sort of beast. Judging by the footprints I would definitely say the Ox-com is not a dog even though it shares some genetic DNA. For me, this means that GH3, the Golden Retriever, is just an unwitting accomplice to its deeds – it is only following him because of their telepathic connection. All GH3 is trying to do throughout the film is save himself as the Ox-com hates him and wants to kill him too.
Man’s Best Friend
I’ll be honest, Max does not look like the type of dog that would be so angry and violent as he is a beautiful, cuddly looking Tibetan Mastiff. I’ll say this much though, they didn’t need to add into the story that Max was genetically experimented on for him to be killing the people he does in order to defend Lori; a dog’s natural loyalty towards their owner would organically lend itself to this style of story line. I actually think the relationship between Lori and Max is similar that of Travis and GH3 in Watchers. I was also going to add that I felt a little bit sorry for him because he only does what does to get back at those who experimented on him but then if he had only killed those who did it – it would make sense. I guess in a weird way, this is more of a thriller than a horror because we don’t actually see Max kill anyone.
The Breed
I’ll be honest, I feel like the opening to the film wasn’t as intense as they wanted it to be! Now, don’t get me wrong I like the fact that they just showed Jenny being attacked and dragged off but wasn’t sure by what but it just didn’t have the impact I had hoped for. What I did like however, is that visually they introduced dogs gradually – starting with a cute little puppy, then a simple bite from a larger dog. The funny thing is, the way Sara reacts to the dog bite made feel like this was going to turn into a film like Cabin Fever. I know the dogs are the antagonists in all of this but I still found it hard to hear the little whimper when they get hurt. I love the fact that this film has portrayed the dogs as clever and pretty strategic. For example, they cut the power on the cabin so that they have our main characters trapped. It actually takes until about half an hour from the end for one of the core group to die, and no surprise it’s Hill Harper’s character that gets it first! They don’t say the black man dies first for nothing you know!
Devil Dog: The Hound of Hell
With the 3 films prior to this, there was a theme of animal experimentation developing, but this is not something I expected at all! Using a dog for a satanic ritual! In a weird kind of way, this film is actually a dog version of The Omen, even down to a similar plot – the death of original child/dog is then replaced by the child/puppy of the devil. No matter how cute Lucky is, this time I cannot take the side of the dog whatsoever! The people he’s hurting have done nothing but be kind to him. Throughout the film he seems to gradually be taking telepathic control of the family, starting with the children before moving on to their mother. He also tries to make the father hurt himself on the lawnmower so I wonder if he has something against him. You know how I said previously that GH3 in Watchers wasn’t to blame for any of the incidents – well this is all down to Lucky! Even the awful things we presume the family is doing to other people.
Dogs
From the opening of this film, I was starting to wonder if this was going to be told from the dogs’ point of view – you know a little like Homeward Bound. I was actually quite disappointed to find out that this wouldn’t be the case. This film follows a pack of what seem to be domesticated dogs that end up going on a wild killing spree. The first time they kill a person feels unbelievably brutal. What’s disturbing about this film is that there seems to be no motivation behind the killings. What I mean is, at least with the other films there is a mention of scientific experimentation or demon possession, but here it’s just pure and simple brutality. If there is a reason at all, they base it on natural pheromones causing the dogs to pack but this doesn’t explain their aggression.
Night of the Wild
It’s rather unfortunate that the story line of this film isn’t too dissimilar to Dogs in the fact that these are domesticated dogs attacking the people of the town, all that is different is the reason it is happening. Because of this, it does naturally lead to comparisons between the two and I honestly think that Dogs is a better film. The acting in this is awkward at times and I honestly think there are times that they have actually used a wolf instead of a dog – like when the truck driver is killed for example. Truthfully, until about 30 minutes from the end, the deaths seem to be here and there with very little happening in-between other than the dogs acting a little strangely, barking at their owners and biting people when they usually wouldn’t. Also, the slow-mo of Rosalyn running to save her friend whose being mauled – is completely unnecessary! It may have been the way to establish her as the hero but it just felt out of place. There’s also no real explanation as to why all the dogs apart from Shep are affected by the asteroid, but I wonder if it is because of the fact that he’s old and his senses have dulled.
