The beloved cartoon dog gets the live-action treatment in this generic canine caper.
These are chaotic times for C.G.I. animals. Digital artisans replaced dog trainers on “Cruella.” The 2019 film version of “The Lion King” did its best impression of a David Attenborough documentary. And when early images from “Sonic the Hedgehog” were coldly received, the creators chose to delay release to refine the movie’s effects.
The beloved canine at the heart of “Clifford the Big Red Dog,” directed by Walt Becker, is the most recent addition to this photorealistic litter, and like Sonic’s before him, Clifford’s appearance is jarring. Gone are his floppy Vizsla ears, his sad bloodhound eyes. Here, Clifford resembles a jolting golden retriever dyed vermilion red, and his looming cartoon height translates to a manageable 10 feet — just short enough to squeeze through the brownstone doorways of his new home in Manhattan.
Rescued from the streets by a magic animal shelter, Clifford soon meets Emily Elizabeth (Darby Camp), a precocious middle schooler under the temporary care of her ne’er-do-well uncle Casey (Jack Whitehall). From here, the story veers into a generic caper, stacked with evil villains, kindly allies and mischief. Genuine sweetness can be found in Emily’s fidelity to her rowdy new best friend. Still, naturalism is hard to fake, and it’s difficult to divorce Clifford from the lines of code that animate him; indeed, when Clifford yipped loudly onscreen, my very real dog, lying beside me, didn’t even stir.
Clifford the Big Red Dog
Rated PG. Running time: 1 hour 37 minutes. In theaters and on Paramount+.
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