Movie Review: Underdog (PG)

Our star beagle (voiced by Jason Lee) is an incompetent rookie in the K-9 unit of the Capitol City police force, but after mistaking a ham for a bomb during the mayor's (John Slattery) press conference, he quits in disgrace, only to be dog-napped by mad scientist Simon Barsinister (Peter Dinklage) and his overgrown, half-witted sidekick, Cad (Patrick Warburton). Barsinister works for Growth Research Sciences by day, but spends his off-hours devising a gene-modifying serum he hopes will make K-9 training obsolete. Just one capsule of his magic formula will endow an ordinary dog with the speed of a cheetah, the strength of an elephant and the ability to soar like an eagle. Our intrepid pup escapes Barsinister's clutches, but not before getting dosed with the potion. He's found and adopted new GRS security guard Dan Unger (James Belushi), a former Capitol City cop who quit after his wife's death. Dan names him Shoeshine and takes him home to his depressed son (Alex Neuberger) in hopes that the dog will help mend their strained father-son relationship. Having found the home he always wanted, Shoeshine is content to live the life of a pampered house pet. But once Jack realizes Shoeshine comes with a set of superpowers — including speech — he encourages him to fulfill his destiny: fighting bad guys, particularly Simon Barsinister, who was horribly disfigured during Shoeshine's escape and now wants revenge on the entire city. So Shoeshine dons his trademark suit and cape, starts speaking in bad rhymes (doggerel, if you will) — including the immortal tagline "There's no need to fear! Underdog is here!" — and becomes the world's furriest superhero since Wolverine. Look, up in the sky! It's a plane! It's a bird! It's a frog! It's Underdog! (TVguide.com)

 Now, if you are expecting something resembling the cartoon Underdog, you'll be greatly disappointed. You get to see a snipet of the old cartoon in the opening sequence, but that's it. The movie is nothing like the cartoon.

I took my 10 yr. old daughter to see Underdog, and she did enjoy it. I had a free ticket, courtesy of Mighty Dog dog food, so it cost $6.50 for the matinee (and $1 for a box of Raisnets with a coupon). For a total of $7.50...it was worth it....1 hr. 24 minutes in air conditioning...

The PG rating is for the crude humor...basically jokes about dog sneezes and other bodily functions. Any 6 - 12 year old kid will laugh at the humor...as will some of the adults. I found snippets of the movie amusing, while my daughter laughed at all the doggy humor. I didn't find anything objectionable...no sex, no nudity, and no bad language...

I would rate the movie about a B-. I'd say either wait until it comes to a cheap theater (which should be soon) or on DVD. This would make a good movie for a young child's superhero party....