Underdog

Furry Family Fun
When I first heard that Disney was going to be putting out a live action version of "Underdog," I cringed at the thought. How could one make a live action film based on a cartoon who's key character was A) a dog, B) interacted freely with humans and other animals and C) was definitely a product of its times? Sure, the "Scooby-Doo" films have been out for awhile, but Scooby (and his cousins) were the only animals that interacted with anyone and their update was a fair success. Although Disney's answer wasn't 100% perfect, it was definitely a good response.

What the writers did was simplify the original tale somewhat. Instead of having Underdog interact with humans by being a shoeshine boy, he became an out-of-luck former police dog who's picked up by the caring-but-tense family of James Belushi and Alex Neuberger. They name him "Shoeshine." They also made the rest of the animals, namely Polly and Riff-Raff, only interact with Underdog and not the humans. Lastly, they firmly...

wonderful
My 6 year-old loved this movie, and frankly, so did I. It is a straight forward, good-clean-fun movie. When I walk through the local movie rental chain, I am disappointed at the gore and darkness that people consider entertainment. If you want something lighthearted and enjoyable for the whole family, you can't go wrong with this one.

The First Canine Rapper, Underdog, LIVE-ACTION!
Back in the sixties, that long-ago age,
An animated super-mutt was truly the rage!
Voiced by Wally Cox, the lovable geek,
The dog always rhymed, whenever he'd speak.

Underdog was the Mighty Mouse of his time,
Saving the city and always in rhyme!
And while some may feel a 'live' update is trivial,
I find this new movie entirely convivial!

Frederik Du Chau directs with a wink,
And the result isn't as silly as many might think!
Jason Lee's voice, while not as nerdy as Cox's,
Is warm and beagle-friendly, whenever he talks!

The animals, not humans, are the stars of this flick,
Although Peter Dinklage's Barsinister is a real kick!
At 4'5", he's teamed with 6'3" Patrick Warburton,
And they steal every scene until the final curtain!

I loved the references to "Superman, the Movie",
And as a sixties kid, I found everything groovy!
Of course, since it's Disney, it carries his...

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