Search - Man's Best Friend on DVD

A Guilty Pleasure on a Rainy Saturday

Ravenskya | 05/22/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This movie has long been one of my guilty pleasures, a true B-Movie where the Frankenstein creation of a genetically mutated dog is adorable, pitiful, and horrifying.

Quick Summary: A news reporter (Ally Sheedy) breaks into a lab to do a story on how the company is experimenting on animals. While she is there she kidnaps "MAX" a Tibetan Mastiff who is apparently the culmination of the scientist's work (Scientist played by Lance Hendrickson). MAX instantly worms his way into her heart with his human intelligence and precious furry face. Unfortunately MAX is also very possessive, and overly protective of his new human love interest, much to the chagrin of her boyfriend.

Honestly this movie is not good, it's straight B-Movie fair, but man is it fun on a rainy Saturday afternoon. The things this dog can do are so way over the top you would think the movie was written by a 12 year old. But, the humor in the way they are executed will amuse most B-Movie fans. The cat and mailman scenes are hysterical to me. And you couldn't have picked a cuter more lovable dog (who is by the way, the best actor in the film). If you are looking for art, look elsewhere. If you are looking for substance, look elsewhere. If you are looking to add to you B-Movie collection then add this to your cart and have a fun time.
"

Clichéd but fun.

D. Litton | Wilmington, NC | 05/21/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

""Man's Best Friend" tells the somewhat intense story of a reporter who finds out that the dog she stole is more than just a good guardian, but an unstable killer. Let's face it: this might as well have been titled "Beethoven 3: Revenge." The story has some good elements going for it: it certainly has a lot to say about what happens when humans tamper with nature. But those few good things are buried in a heap of unbelievable events and details, and so the movie flops. The story begins with nosy reporter Lori Tanner, played by Ally Sheedy, sneaking into a top security experiment laboratory to uncover allegations against the company for cruelty to animals. This is the first in a string of unbelievable sequences: if the facility is as important and top secret as the movie portrays it, where are all the guards? Nonetheless, she breaks in and gets the scoop, not to mention a large dog named Max who seems friendly until the project leader, Dr. Jarret, shows up to scare Lori away. Max escapes and hitches a ride home with her, and once there, he takes a liking to her and a strong disdain for her boyfriend, Perry, who wants him out of the house, Meanwhile, Dr. Jarret reports the dog theft to the police, leading to the inevitable foreshadowing of doom as he tells the detectives about Max's genetic altering that will lead him to unspeakable acts of violence. And wouldn't you know it? He starts going nuts: completely digesting a whole cat, murdering a mailman and burying him like he was a chicken bone. The movie has fun with the normal dog cliches: the mailman and cat are one of them, as well as his instinct to protect Lori from Perry. As I've seen in reality, some dogs have a real problem with their owner's significant other, and the movie takes this and makes it funny in some places, while terrifying in others. Perry is a wimp to begin with, so that makes it even funnier. The story itself is not all that bad, either. It has all the normal clichés you would expect to find in a routine thriller: the pair of detectives who can't seem to get a grasp on the situation, which leads to a hilarious send-up of cop-criminal chases in which they chase the dog by automobile. The unsuspecting damsel who thinks she's doing something good, but ends up being the real bad guy. Sheedy does well in the role of Lori, playing her as naive and relentless in her pursuit of the facts. Then there's the know-it-all scientist, Dr. Jarret, who supplies the story by foreshadowing gruesome events. Lance Henriksen plays the part well: forcing us to believe in his words by making them sound serious. Still, there is a downside, and this has to do mainly with the dog's abilities because of his genetic altering. The movie allows him to become camouflage in order to deceive his pursuant. Unless Webster rolled over in his grave, the world "camouflage" means to keep the same form while disguising yourself to look like something else, like a lizard changing color to match a leaf. Here, Max is able to take on the form of a heap of sports equipment, not just the color. A bit unbelievable, if you ask me, and so is his ability to urinate acid. And what about those claws, which enable him to climb to the top of trees?You can enjoy "Man's Best Friend" if you don't take it too seriously. The story doesn't attempt to be too convincing, so really, all we're left with is to sit back and enjoy the ride, which does have some good thrills along the way."

This one will really suprise you!

Ravenskya | 08/21/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When i was chilling on the couch down the shore real late at night, this movie came on and I decided to watch it cause i LOVE watching stupid horror movies late at night. But this movie really suprised me! It wasn't stupid at all! It has the entertainment value of any other good movie you will see! The dog was freaky looking with his eye all burned out and everything, and you actually feel sorry for the dog at the climax. Buy the movie!!! :)"

Better than average campy suspense flick.

J. Crenshaw | 08/31/1999

(3 out of 5 stars)

"My dogs were actually used in the making of this film. They are a rare breed of dog known as the Tibetan Mastiff. After months and months of filming, I was actually pleasantly surprised at the entertainment value this film provides."