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Underdog (2007) DVD Review
Underdog (2007) DVD Credits:
Underdog (2007) Directed by:
Frederik Du Chau
Underdog (2007) Written by:
Not available at this time
Underdog (2007) Cast:
Amy Adams, Jason Lee, Peter Dinklage
Underdog (2007) Released by:
Spyglass Entertainment
Region:
1
Underdog (2007) DVD Release Date:
18th December 2007
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Underdog (2007) Synopsis:

The CG/lie action movie will follow the adventures of a humble dog named Shoeshine Boy who became the superheroic Underdog, who spoke in rhyme. In the movie, he is adopted by a 12-year-old boy and uses his superpower to protect his love, Polly Purebred, and the citizens of Capitol City from the evil Simon Barsinister.

Underdog (2007) DVD Review:

Underdog is the live action version of the popular cartoon by the same name. The cartoon originally aired from 1964 to 1973 in collaboration with General Mills cereal as a method of selling more cereal to children. Underdog himself is a beagle with super hero powers that begins to help out people in trouble and to foil bad guys. Underdog’s primary arch nemesis was Simon Bar Sinister and his dimwitted side-kick, Cad.

The film adaptation starts in City Hall of the Capitol Building where the mayor is discussing the rising crime spree. Underdog, then a normally abled police dog, mistakes a ham for a bomb within the boxes of evidence. The incident is humiliating and Underdog makes his walk of shame as his fellow police dogs, three German Shepherds, chastise him. Underdog walks the city trying to figure out how he could have made such an enormous mistake when he is picked up as a stray and brought to a testing facility. Once there, Cad and Dr. Simon Barsinister choose the beagle to be their next test subject. The dog escapes, but not before accidentally being covered in Barsinister’s concoctions, giving Underdog his super powers. The dog escapes and is harassed by a gang of strays, before he is run over by Dan Unger, a security guard at the test facility. Jack and his son Alex take the dog into their home, but trouble arises, as the newly super powered dog learns to deal with his new abilities. Meanwhile Dr. Barsinister is searching for the dog in hopes to duplicate the serum for his own evil ambitions. After posing as a lady in distress, Cad manages to get Underdog’s secret identity address. The evil duo kidnap Jack in attempt to lure Underdog and steal his DNA to from an army of evil super dogs. Underdog now must defeat Cad, Dr. Barsinister, and his army of super dogs in order to reestablish the norm.

The live action film Underdog boasts a pretty fantastic cast in the way of television giants Jim Belushi (According to Jim), Jason Lee (My Name is Earl), Partrick Wharburton (Seinfeld, Family Guy), and Brad Garrett (Everybody Loves Raymond, Til Death), but sadly it does not boast much of a script. The film is basically a series of montages that covers the bulk of the film. Too much time is spent with Underdog trying to devise his rhyming catch phrase, eventually settling on the famous “There’s no need to fear, Underdog is here.” Another montage covers Dr. Barsinister as he begins to plot his revenge and creates his underground lair. The story is also riddled with plot holes and jokes that fall flat. Among those holes is the most obvious: somehow the three German shepherd police dogs who taunt the lowly beagle as he exits city hall miraculously become the same dogs that Dr. Barsinister uses in the climax of the film. The jokes are a tad too advanced for the bulk of children viewers, and yet too juvenile for adult viewers. The film is also unimaginative, essentially retelling key aspects of both Spider-man and Superman, among other super hero films. All in all, Underdog is a disappointment, especially when you consider the enormity of its cast.

The DVD includes both Fullframe and Widescreen versions of the film, both presented in 5.1 surround sound.

The special features include deleted scenes, bloopers including tose (?) , Sit. Stay. Act: The diary of a Dog Actor featuring a hidden feature, that when click gives an extra behind the scenes view. “Underdog Raps” music video performed by Kyle Massey and “Safe Waif’ the first episode of Underdog cartoon.

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Underdog (2007) DVD review written by: Andrew Mattson

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