Quartile rating: 5.5/10 · 1 rating
A lab accident gives a beagle named Shoeshine some serious superpowers -- a secret that the dog eventually shares with the young boy who becomes his owner and friend.
Underdog (2007) is a middling live-action/CGI family film adaptation of the classic cartoon. The plot is formulaic superhero-origin fare with little surprise or depth, hitting standard beats without flair. Acting from the human cast is serviceable but unremarkable, while the CGI dog effects are competent for the era but unimpressive. Cinematography is generic studio family-film work with no distinctive visual identity. Novelty is low — the talking-dog superhero concept was already well-worn, and the film brings nothing distinctive to the premise beyond its source IP. The ending is predictable and tidy. Across the board, this is a below-to-average-range film that lands squarely in mediocrity.