Dogman (2023)

The critic praises the electrifying performance by Caleb Landry Jones in this oddly wonderful, borderline brilliant tale of resilience and revenge.

The critic finds the film a bit silly but often pulled off thanks to Caleb Landry Jones' commanding performance as the traumatized, drag-performing vigilante. He singles out for praise Jones' standout drag lip-sync scene as one of the best in recent memory.

The film is a bizarre and macabre drama-thriller that is watchable overall. Caleb Landry Jones gives an oddly engaging performance as the central character, though the story is shallow and adds up to nothing much.

Luc Besson's latest is flawed and sometimes fun as a curious tale of a lonely man finding companionship with dogs. The critic singles out the ultra-violence as where the film fumbles, turning tedious, though the core idea of a pup-loving Pied Piper has merit.

The critic describes the wacky thriller as a mixed bag in need of a leash, with Jones playing a traumatized dog collector turned cabaret star. He notes the film’s uneven execution under Besson’s direction.

The film is a fatally uneven drama that brings together Besson’s extreme tendencies without inspired feverishness; Jones' performance grounds it but Besson’s instincts lead astray.

Luc Besson’s tale of a troubled man who finds salvation through his love of dogs has more bark than bite. The film struggles to get past its initial cool pitch in a lurid, clichéd story, though Caleb Landry Jones delivers an affecting performance as the fragile weirdo protagonist.

The critic finds the revenge tale mostly a drag, criticizing its tonal instability between seriousness and camp as well as its lack of insight into drag or meaningful exploration of the protagonist’s trauma. He singles out for complaint the flimsy characters, expository structure, and failure to deliver distinctive action or thematic depth.

Luc Besson’s latest is risible and the year’s dumbest film, with a ludicrous premise involving dogs in crime sprees and absurd disguises. The critic found nearly every scene elicited disbelief and howls of dismay.

The critic finds the film a numbskulled, boneheaded thriller that insults various communities and lacks any visual style, calling it a ludicrous howler.

The critic praises it as a breezy, unexpectedly tender slice of pulp with a career-high performance from Caleb Landry Jones, fusing various films with Besson’s anything-goes approach.

The critic finds it a tonal mess like Joker with dogs but worse, a scattershot origin story that fails to cohere despite a compelling performance by Caleb Landry Jones and fun dog moments.

The critic finds the film messy but fitfully inspired, a bizarre riff on Joker that coasts on style and showcases Caleb Landry Jones's gonzo performance, though it has little to say.

An incoherent horror fable that mixes crime thriller and melodrama poorly, relying on freakishness and dog antics; praises the dogs but criticizes the lack of emotional depth and overall execution.

The critic finds the film an unconvincing underdog story that is both too strange and not strange enough, criticizing the dull plotting, uninspired arc, and Jones' over-the-top performance while noting its Joker-like qualities and questionable character arcs.