Red Dog: True Blue Review

Red Dog: True Blue


Release Date: 26th December 2016 - Australia


Production Companies
Woss Group Film Productions
Screen Australia
Essential Entertainment

Good Dog Enterprises
Endymion Films (in association with)
ScreenWest (in association with)
Film Victoria (in association with)

Distribution
Roadshow Films

Genre: Family/Comedy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 88 minutes


Budget: $45,000,000

Box Office Gross: A$5,218,716 (Australia)


Plot Summary
Eleven-year-old Mick goes to live with his grandfather in a remote territory, where he befriends a dog who will one day become the Australian legend known as Red Dog. Together, they go on many adventures that prove to be life-changing for both of them.

Cast
Phoenix - Blue Dog
Jason Isaacs - Michael Carter
Levi Miller - Mick
Bryan Brown - Grandpa
Hanna Mangan Lawrence - Betty Marble
Justine Clarke - Diane Carter
Thomas Cocquerel - Bill Stempie

John Jarratt - Lang Hancock
Steve Le Marquand - Little John
Zen McGrath - Theo Carter
Kee Chan - Jimmy Umbrella
Winta McGrath - Nicholas Carter
Syd Brisbane - Big John
Calen Tassone - Taylor Pete
Kelton Pell - Durack
Josie Alec - Abby
Igor Sas - Dr. Samuel
Jon Doust - McLeod
Catlin Berestford-Ord - Catherine

Crew
Director - Kriv Stenders
Screenplay - Daniel Taplitz
Executive Producers - Di Bain, Graham Burke, Greg Parker, Joel Pearlman, John Poynton, Colin Vaines and Marc van Buuren
Producer - Bryce Menzies
Producer/Music Supervisor - Nelson Woss
Co-Producer/Editor - Jill Bilcock
Co-Producers - Mark Kraus and Chris Veerhuis

Casting Director - Christine King
Production Designer - Sam Hobbs

Art Director - Emma Fletcher

Set Decorator - Christine Lynch
Costume Designer - Anna Borghesi
Director of Photography - Geoffrey Hall

Second Unit Director/Director of Photography -

Ernie Clark
Stunt Coordinator - Zev Eleftheriou
Head Dog/Horse Trainer: Animals All Around -
Zelie Bullen
Additional Dog/Horse Trainer: Animals

All Around - Craig Bullen
Special Effects Supervisor - Peter Stubbs
Editor - Rodrigo Balart

Re-Recording Mixers - Marco August Comba

and Chris Goodes
Music - Cezary Skubiszewski


Review

The massive success of Red Dog inspired family viewers and dog lovers as they went to see this film in Australian cinemas. The humorous and melancholy drama of this true story has touched them. However, the plans for a prequel surfaced in 2015, when filming had begun. It premiered on Boxing Day in the year after that. More family-friendly in its distinctive appeal, TRUE BLUE was a bit of a disappointment and didn't have as much charm as the original movie. The newly added Indigenous themes to the prequel assist in relating more to the native Australian culture. The narrative is not too reminiscent of several boy-and-his-dog films like Disney's Old Yeller.

The movie has a few extraordinary standout actors like Bryan Brown, an Aussie legend, who is much-fitted in his challenging but more severe role as the grandfather. British thespian Jason Isaacs was quite a narrator when portraying the older version of the young boy. Levi Miller is a natural choice as the young boy who discovered Red Dog and became his first master.

Overall, it was a solid, emotional and entertaining family movie that appeared to take a step back from its top-dog predecessor. Viewers like you would see the picture, as I highly recommend it.

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

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