Directed by: Frederik Du Chau
Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!
Synopsis: Based on the cartoon series, a beagle named Shoeshine (voiced by Jason Lee) is given extraordinary powers by a mad scientist named Dr. Simon Barsinister (Peter Dinklage).
Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): Shoeshine is sitting in a park with his new owner Jack (Alex Neuberger) when they spot a ginger tabby cat nearby. “Well, there goes the neighborhood,” the dog sighs. Jack tells Shoeshine no, sensing he wants to do something to the cat.
Shoeshine tries to ignore the cat but when he looks at him again the cat says, “Freak!” in a deep voice.
Using his super speed, Shoeshine races at the cat and scoops him up, depositing him into a tree, presumably to get stuck.
During a montage scene highlighting Shoeshine’s abilities as Underdog, he is seen rescuing the ginger tabby from a burning building.
After setting the cat on the sidewalk, Underdog says, “Now look, don’t tell your cat friends about this. I have a reputation to uphold.”
“Freak!” the cat says again. “Yep, I thought that was you,” Underdog sighs.
Poor Cat Screech: There are two times a poor cat screech is heard to comic effect; once when a mailman crashes his truck off screen and again when Underdog and Polly drop a meatball from the top of a building.
The animal actors were provided by Boone’s Animals for Hollywood.
Final Mewsings: Don’t expect cats to thank you for saving them.
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