Benji goes wild! – Benji: Off the Leash! (2004)

Directed by: Joe Camp | 96 minutes | drama, family | Actors: Benji, Nick Whitaker, Chris Kendrick, Nate Bynum, Randall Newsome, Duane Stephens, Christy Summerhays, Carlton Bluford, Neal Barth, Melinda Haynes, Kathleen Camp, Jeff Olson, Lincoln Hoppe, Joey Miyashima, Scott Wilkinson, Margaret Loesch, Dava Whisenant, Joe Camp, Omar Sharif, Jerry Lousteau

There seems to be no end to the stream of dog movies. Every generation has a favorite, whether it’s ‘Lassie’, ‘Beethoven’ or ‘Benji’, movies about four-legged friends come rushing at you from all corners of the world. The makers often focus on children with these productions, but sometimes, such as ‘Marley & Me’ and ‘Hachi’, such a film manages to reach the film audience that does not necessarily have to fill a child’s hand. The ‘Benji’ movies, however, do not fall into that category. The very first ‘Benji’ was directed by Joe Camp in 1974, and while that film lacked an original story, the dog’s point-of-view was remarkable. In addition, the dog is very well directed; It’s that there is no Oscar for best dog actor yet, but then Higgins the Dog would certainly have received a nomination.

In this fourth official film, seventeen years after the last (‘Benji the Hunted’, 1987), two stories intertwine, but not in a clear way. The first is only briefly touched on at the beginning of the film (blink your eyes and it’s over). This seems to have been done on purpose to mislead the young viewers: they think that the two dog catchers have a completely different intention than they actually have. It’s not a nice way to tell a story. The second story revolves around a boy whose father is an er… a guy’s dog; bad for dogs and for his wife and child. You can question the chosen subject, because although the physical abuse of the kid and his mother is never in the picture, there is quite a lot of suggestion and it is very clear that it is a dysfunctional family. The father threatens to sell his son (who is not mentioned by name until well into the film, but his name is Colby) if he “continues to be so difficult” and is sent to bed without food, which is the least. A slightly intelligent toddler will pick up on this and will then ask his parents what is going on there. Hmm… maybe not immediately a topic of conversation that you as a parent are waiting for…

Most of the screen time, however, goes to Benji and the other dog in the lead: a terrier with an incredibly long tongue. This dog is being chased by two wimpy dog ​​catchers, who have to provide the comic relief. Then there’s a strange, lonely man, whose sole function in the film seems to be to deliver a crash course in parenting, with annoying one-liners like “Keep your mind to your own business, or you won’t make friends” and “Those who preferring their bed do not advance in life.” The scenes with the dogs are touching enough and will certainly impress young animal lovers, but the whole thing is a bit limp because of the nasty story surrounding Colby and his dog-breeding father. Add to that that the music doesn’t fit the film at all and you don’t have a recommendation with ‘Benji goes wild’.