Dog Man

I wonder if creator Dav Pilkey ever expected his Dog Man character, which began as a small side note in the Captain Underpants franchise, to reach the level of success it has. Within that series, two imaginative fourth graders, George and Harold, bring their ideas to life by drawing up the adventures of Captain Underpants, a character who, through their wild creativity, actually materializes in their world. In the 2016 Captain Underpants movie, another one of their ideas, Dog Man, was introduced, a police officer who is part dog, part man. His origin stems from an explosion that critically injures both a man’s brain and his loyal dog’s body, leading surgeons to stitch the dog’s head onto the man’s body. (Why he still has hairy arms like a dog is one of those questions best left unanswered.) What started as a playful extension of Captain Underpants‘ universe became a hugely successful book series, and now, in 2025, DreamWorks has adapted it into an animated film, complete with the usual roster of celebrity voices and the studio’s signature animation excellence.

Regardless of its original intent, Dog Man does little to prove that it isn’t merely a concept designed to pad out its predecessor’s universe. However, its execution manages to generate enough fun on its own, not because of the main character, though. Despite being a fusion of man and dog, the character exhibits surprisingly little personality. Pre-surgery, it’s stated that the officer’s mind was weak and the dog’s body was frail, so combining their “good” parts would create the ultimate officer. But in a cartoon setting, one would expect the dog’s body to be the stronger element, making this an oddly uninspired premise. As a result, the protagonist, despite his hybrid nature, leaves little impression beyond the novelty of his appearance. He doesn’t speak, and in a world where anthropomorphic animals already exist, such as the villainous Petey the Cat, who also walks on two legs, his fusion feels underexplored.

The film focuses more on Petey than on Dog Man himself. Petey is the more compelling character, largely because he actually undergoes an arc. Initially, he sets out to clone himself after being dissatisfied with his past minions, only for the process to result in a much younger version of himself, a child. This forces Petey to grapple with responsibility and parenthood, turning the film into an exploration of family, personal growth, and breaking cycles of past mistakes. The themes aren’t particularly deep, but they are serviceable, and by the third act, Petey’s development builds up to an effective emotional beat.

What truly elevates Dog Man is the sheer creativity in every frame. While the protagonist may be underwhelming, the world around him is anything but, embracing its absurdity to deliver delightfully unhinged set pieces: walking buildings, a robot fish villain, and an evil lair with signs that proudly declare, “This is not an evil lair!” The humor works across different levels, blending slapstick, visual gags, and running jokes, such as a character constantly reminding the villain that she haven’t been paid. DreamWorks’ animation once again excels, seamlessly blending a comic book aesthetic with their recent 2D flourishes. A slight frame-drop effect makes the movement feel akin to stop-motion, enhancing the film’s visual appeal and distancing it from the generic 3D animation style.

As a standalone film, Dog Man delivers a fun, vibrant adventure packed with creativity and solid humor, making for a visually pleasing and entertaining ride. But when it comes to long-term potential, it’s hard to see the series extending beyond this single outing, especially when its most compelling character isn’t even the one in the title.

At a glance

3.5/5

Worth your time

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