--- title: "Dogman: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/dogman-2023/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/dogman-2023" critics_score: 48 critics_reviews: 15 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Dogman (2023): what the critics said Critics' score 48 from 15 reviews: 3 positive, 6 mixed, 6 negative. ## The New York Times — Jeannette Catsoulis Rating Critic’s Pick. 28 March 2024. The critic praises the electrifying performance by Caleb Landry Jones in this oddly wonderful, borderline brilliant tale of resilience and revenge. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/28/movies/dogman-review.html) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Jordan Mintzer Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 31 August 2023. Festival review. 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. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/dogman-review-caleb-landry-jones-luc-besson-1235578842/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 5 March 2024. 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. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/mar/05/dogman-review-luc-bessons-bizarre-and-macabre-tale-of-canines-and-drag) ## Total Film — James Mottram Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 1 September 2023. 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. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/dogman-2023-review/) ## IndieWire — Ryan Lattanzio Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 31 August 2023. Festival review. 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. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/dogman-review-caleb-landry-jones-luc-besson-1234901200/) ## Los Angeles Times — Tim Grierson Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 29 March 2024. 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. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2024-03-29/dogman-review-luc-besson-caleb-landry-jones) ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 31 August 2023. Festival review. 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. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/dogman-venice-review/5185434.article) ## Slant Magazine — Clayton Dillard Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 24 March 2024. 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. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/dogman-review-caleb-landry-jones-luc-besson/) ## The Telegraph — Robbie Collin Rating 1/5. 31 August 2023. Festival review. 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. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2023/08/31/dogman-venice-film-festival-review-luc-besson/) ## Variety — Jessica Kiang Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 31 August 2023. Festival review. The critic finds the film a numbskulled, boneheaded thriller that insults various communities and lacks any visual style, calling it a ludicrous howler. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2023/film/reviews/dogman-review-caleb-landry-jones-stars-in-a-ludicrous-luc-besson-howler-1235709746/) ## Deadline — Damon Wise Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 31 August 2023. Festival review. 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. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2023/08/dogman-review-caleb-landry-jones-in-luc-besson-action-thriller-1235533179/) ## /Film — Matt Donato Rating 5/10. 27 September 2023. Festival review. 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. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/1405868/dogman-review/) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 31 August 2023. Festival review. 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. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/dogman-review-luc-besson/) ## The Playlist — Rafa Sales Ross Rating D. 31 August 2023. Festival review. 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. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/dogman-review-luc-bessons-freakish-canine-fable-is-rotten-to-the-bone-venice-20230831/) ## Paste — Brianna Zigler Rating 3.0. 29 March 2024. 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. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/luc-besson/dogman-review) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/dogman-2023.md