Marmaduke (U)

Dir. Tom Dey, USA , 2010, 88 mins

Cast: Owen Wilson (voice), Fergie (voice), Kiefer Sutherland (voice), Lee Pace, Judy Greer, William H. Macy

Review by Michelle Moore

After the success of animal talking films such as Beverly Hills Chihuahua , G-Force and more recently the second instalment of Cats and Dogs , it is no wonder everyone is getting excited about a Great Dane by the name of Marmaduke . The film is a live-action adaptation of Brad Anderson's comic strip, with a plot that centres on the Winslow family, including Marmaduke and a Balinese cat named Carlos. When the man of the house relocates the family to California , everyone must learn to live with the changes around them, including Marmaduke.

It helps to think of Marmaduke as a teenager put in situations a teenager lives through during High School, as the plot is similar to the many high school flicks that have graced the big screen over the years, but with a cast consisting of dogs and the odd cat rather than actual people. Marmaduke is told by his owners not to do this and not to do that yet he disobeys all instructions. He is given new surroundings and feels like an outsider, in this case because he is not a pedigree. He falls for the forbidden girl in the park and, in order to make people like him, he throws a huge party when his owners are away and gets caught. OK, we have seen and heard all this before, just never through the lives of man's best friends.

This light-hearted film evokes a variety of emotions from beginning to end. There is laughter when the dog takes the man for a walk and when he gets unwanted attention from a bee. But the scene that will have everyone in stitches, no matter what your age or gender, is Marmaduke's wind problem. Although comedy is the main aim, the ending – where two dogs fight for their lives and the relationship between Marmaduke and his owner gets more sentimental – is much more serious and may even cause the occasional tear to fall.

When it comes to voicing the animals, Owen Wilson, with his unique and precise voice, is the ideal choice for the canine hero. Marmaduke himself is played by an actual dog and animated with computer graphics. He is such a huge dog and, while his big lips and flapping jaw are a little eerie at first, he gradually wins you round.

Marmaduke is funny, tearful and absolutely brilliant no matter what your age. Although it may not be one of the most amusing or appropriate children's films around at the moment, adults and older children should get at least a few laughs out of it.