We have seen superhero dogs before — like Krypto and Ace — but Dog Man is something different! He is not just a dog, and he’s not just a hero… he’s both!

Dog Man is an animated movie based on bestselling author Dav Pilkey’s funny graphic novel series. DreamWorks Animation’s latest tells the story of a half-dog, half-human crime fighter who loves to stop bad guys. Sometimes, he may act like a playful pup, but when trouble comes, he’s always ready to save the day!

But how did Dog Man come to be? A bomb injures a policeman named Officer Knight and his canine partner, Greg. The doctors devise a wild idea — they sew the dog’s head onto the officer’s body, voiced by Peter Hasting, the film’s director! This time, Dog Man has to stop two tricky villains — Petey the Cat (voiced by Pete Davidson) and Flippy, the mind-controlling fish (played by Ricky Gervais). Petey is a sneaky cat who always finds a way to escape from prison. On the other hand, Flippy has special powers that let him move things with his mind. Luckily, Dog Man has some good friends to help him, like the police chief (Lil Rel Howery) and a brilliant reporter named Sarah (Isla Fisher).

The movie looks just like the books, with bright colours and drawings that feel fun and silly — almost like they were made with crayons! The novels were filled with juvenile humour, silly jokes, and surprisingly personal messages about goodness, kindness, and pain. And guess what? The movie has hilarious jokes, goofy moments, and crazy surprises that will make kids (and even parents) laugh out loud.

Director Peter Hastings’ flick is a must-watch for those in the 6-12 age bracket because a) he knows how young brains work and b) he has worked on many funny cartoons like Pinky and the Brain, and Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness as a director.

Some parts of the 1-hour 29-minute movie are super-fast and wild, which makes it exciting, but it might feel a little too crazy at times. Still, if you love action, adventure, and tons of doggy fun, Dog Man is a must-watch! If you have read the Dog Man books, then you might already have watched the film; if not, then do read it because it’s funny, high-energetic about friendship, bravery and, of course, dogs!

Published in Dawn, Young World, March 1st, 2025