Film View #3 – The Plague Dogs

Who could have thought there were children animations that can easilly horrify and haunt adults. Whatership Down is a previous animated featurette from Martin Rosen that was animated a little more family friendly, though not very famliy friendly whatership down is somewhat more apealing to the kids than plague dogs. That is not to say that plague dogs is bad, it´s far from being bad. It´s an underated film that probably got shunned for the reason that it seems trojan horsed adult animation for kids but it is way too dark for kids and is very depressing and grim the adults.

The story tells of two dogs that get their chance to escape from the science lab that they are being tested at. The dog, Rowf, has been tested repeatedly how long he can continue to swim when he is thrown in a water tank and half drowns every single time. The other dog, Snitter, has been recently been through some sort of a brain surgery that does not leave him in good mental condition. When they escape they soon realize that the world that snitter remembered is way more cruel than he remembered and they face the fact that they must become wild animals to survive in the wilderness.

The characters are very sympathetic and you do root for them all the way no matter what they´re actions are to survive. The voice actors are good but the sound mixing makes the talent somewhat suffer. The animation is dark yet generic in a small dose here and there, it fits the story wich everyone might not find fascinating and sick(it´s supose to make you feel for these dogs) or depressing(wich it is) and look past the whole point. The ending can leave you thinking both ways but i do not want to be one of those who thinks it´s a good ending when it all leads to what really happens.

This film should mainly be viewed by the people who can handle being depressed for an hour after viewing or for those who want the same tone as Whatership down except a darker, more disturbing atmopshere and story. It´s not a family film or for those who want something entirely generic.

“103 minute version” : ****