Greg is a trusty police dog who loyally assists his partner in fighting crime, using his keen senses and bravery to help keep the city safe.
They chase robbers. They patrol the streets. They even work together to track down their crafty nemesis, Petey the cat.
Tragically, though, their careers are cut short when both are badly injured in an explosion that also threatens to end their lives. Then again, maybe not.
With little time and few options, doctors make a radical decision: sewing Greg's head onto his partner's body, thus creating a stronger, smarter, and hopefully wiser law enforcement officer. And maybe, just maybe, they'll finally catch Petey.
The new animated children's movie Dog Man (PG) follows the adventures of this heroic human canine as he sniffs out crime in the big city.
Here are three things you should know about it.
Photo Credit: ©YouTube/Universal Pictures
1. It's True to the Books
1. It's True to the Books
Dog Man, of course, is based on the popular young readers series by Dav Pilkey, who became a nationwide sensation with his Dumb Bunnies and Captain Underpants series before releasing his first Dog Man book in 2016. Pilkey struggled with ADHD and dyslexia as a child and -- literally -- came up with the idea for his most popular series while sitting in class. Other times, he dreamed of the characters as he sat in the hallway due to his disruptiveness. His books are partly written to inspire and support children who face the same challenges he did.
Fans of the books likely will also enjoy the movie. It has the same look and feel -- complete with similar bold, stylized text on screen and animation that seems as if it leaped off the pages. It has the same characters, too, including Petey (Pete Davidson), Lil Petey (Lucas Hopkins Calderon), the hot-tempered Chief (Lil Rel Howery), the ultra-demanding Mayor (Cheri Oteri), and the inquisitive news reporter, Sarah Hatoff (Isla Fisher).
It's a DreamWorks movie.
Photo Credit: ©DreamWorks
2. It's Hilarious and Kid-Friendly from Beginning to End
2. It's Hilarious and Kid-Friendly from Beginning to End
The plot is simple -- and yet -- hilarious. In the first third of the film, Dog Man teams up with the police force to repeatedly nab Petey, who breaks out of jail each time with off-beat tactics common in a Dav Pilkey book. Petey's first escape features a towering inmate catapulting him over the prison walls using a teeter-totter. After his recapture, he escapes again by clutching a massive cluster of floating balloons and soaring skyward.
The plot takes a turn when Petey, desperately wanting an evil sidekick, clones himself in a science experiment that goes awry. Instead of an adult-sized clone, the machine spits out an adorable kitten. Instantly, the devious Petey becomes a father. Not surprisingly, that's not something he embraces. At first, Petey sets out to mentor "Lil Petey" in the art of villainy, but when that fails, he abandons the kitten, who is rescued off the street by Dog Man -- unbeknownst to Petey -- and given a loving home.
Dog Man and Lil Petey do everything a father-son duo should do. They play games. They take walks. They share stories. But when Petey gets word of their growing bond, he is consumed by jealousy and snatches Lil Petey back in the middle of the night.
Fortunately, the film has a happy ending, when Dog Man and Petey join forces to free Lil Petey after he is captured by an evil fish. In the end, Petey redeems himself with a series of selfless acts -- and earns a pardon from the governor.
Nearly every scene in the film is packed with sight gags, slapstick comedy, and random humor. The chief's coffee mug includes large letters reading, "I Love My Mayor." Petey's secret lab includes a neon sign flickering in and out, proudly declaring, "Petey's Secret Lab. But shhh." A food billboard advertises a fiery product: "Pikul Petey's Habanero Horrors." It's the kind of film you'll want to own and revisit endlessly -- just to hit "pause" and soak in every detail of each scene.
It's also kid-friendly, with no coarse language, sexuality, or over-the-top violence. Still, parents should be warned about two thematic elements. Brief flashback scenes reveal glimpses of Dog Man's past human life, hinting at a time when he lived with a woman outside of marriage (A realtor calls her Dog Man's "girlfriend."). Later, we learn that Petey's father abandoned him as a child. That father reenters Petey's life after an invitation from Lil Petey, but sadly, he still wants nothing to do with him.
Photo Credit: ©DreamWorks
3.It's Packed with Lessons about Kindness, Second Chances and Families
3.It's Packed with Lessons about Kindness, Second Chances and Families
Absent a few thematic elements, Dog Man comes close to being the perfect children's film.
It warns kids about the dangers of evil. (Petey, despite his fame, acknowledges that a life of crime is filled with misery and loneliness.) It encourages children to pursue acts of kindness. (Lil Petey draws heartwarming photos for Petey, Dog Man, and even the evil fish, Flippy.)
It celebrates the joy and wonder of family and fatherhood. Dog Man, already a hero with a loving heart, seems to grow even more selfless when he encounters Lil Petey. (During one poignant scene, he refuses to answer a phone call from the chief, realizing that Lil Petey needs his attention.) Career criminal Petey, for his part, is also transformed -- from a self-serving villain to a caring father.
It also celebrates second chances. With the exception of Petey's father, every bad character turns good in the end.
"This world has a lot of problems," he tells Lil Petey. "But it can never be a horrible place because you're in it."
Here's hoping this is just the beginning of a series.
Rated PG for some action and rude humor.
Discussion questions for families: What does the movie teach us about "bad people" and second chances? What does it teach us about evil? Did Dog Man enjoy being a father more than he enjoyed his job? Name three acts of kindness you noticed in the movie.
Entertainment rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Family-friendly rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Photo Credit: ©DreamWorks
Originally published February 07, 2025.
