Dog Man

Dog Man

Dog Man leaps from animated page to big screen as Dav Pilkey’s beloved characters come to life. All of your favorites from the 13 books are in this adventure that moves a lot like the books; for better or worse.


Synopsis: Dog Man, half dog and half man, he is sworn to protect and serve as he doggedly pursues the feline supervillain Petey the Cat.

RATING: Rated PG for some action and rude humor | RUN TIME: 89 minutes | RELEASE DATE: Opens in Theaters Nationwide Friday, January 31, 2025.


The film starts where it all begins as Greg and his canine pal are out fighting crime. When an explosive moment sends them to the ER a fast thinking medical team make a dire call, and Dog Man emerges. And if ever they needed this canine crusader it is now as the notorious Petey the Cat (Pete Davidson) is wreaking havoc on the town. Chief (Lil Rel Howery) has the Mayor (Cheri Oteri) breathing down his neck to get Petey in jail – and keep him there – and as always breaking news reporter Sarah Hatoff (Isla Fisher) is somehow there to cover it all.

If you are a fan of the books you know the story line involving Petey, Lil Petey, and Dog Man. Book after book this trio work out their differences as Lil Petey tries to keep the peace. This film captures the start of that relationship and how we got to where we are. If you have not devoured the books you might find the movie a tad silly and unbelievable. Also like the books the movie moves in snippet form with a lot of fast montages.

Dog Man is hard not to love even for those with a subscription to Cat Fancy. His cute face and desire to always do good will win hearts and elicit several awww moments. Even Chief has a hard time not getting frustrated with Dog Man’s antics. Petey on the other hand has no love for Dog Man and is trying everything he can to out wit his do gooder nemesis. Dog Man always seems to stumble his way through and come out on top.

Fans of all the elaborate inventions that Petey comes up with will not be disappointed. And what would a Dog Man movie be with out a big dose of 80HD. We also get a strong montage of several other dog catching creations. A lot of the 89-minutes is just that. Petey and Dog Man going head to head. But like the books there is a very strong story line of Petey and Lil Petey. Lil Petey overloads the cute meter on screen even more than on the comic page. His desire to find good in his Papa is important in the books and luckily is front and center here.

Those who would instantly write this whole premise off as just silly would be right. It is not based on a true story. I am not suggesting that everyone rush out to see it. But if you have kids or have read these even as an adult – no shame – then you probably have a desire to check this one out. Afterwards you will feel like you had the book read to you and wonder if that really was minutes as it moves rather quick. In all honesty it is more a long cartoon than an animated movie in style, script, and delivery. But that is just fine.

Dog Man holds a nice place in our family and I have fond memories of my son and I reading – and still reading – the series as he was growing up. That made this a no-brainer for us to see, and we enjoyed every moment. Most fans will walk away with that same happy feeling.

About The Author