Live Action Discussions: Snow Dogs

[ichabod]

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Snow Dogs (2002)



Originally released - 18 January 2002
Director <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0505152/">Brian Levant</a>

Main Cast
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000421/">Cuba Gooding Jr.</a> - Ted Brooks
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000336/">James Coburn</a> - Thunder Jack
<a href=”http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0629667/”>Nichelle Nichols</a> - Amelia Brooks
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005437/">Sisqó</a> - Dr. Rupert Brooks
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0281373/">Joanna Bacalso</a> - Barb
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001826/">M. Emmet Walsh</a> - George Murphy

Domestic Gross - $81,172,560
Worldwide Gross - $115,035,090

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Cuba Gooding Jr stars as Ted Brooks, dentist who finds out he's adopted after a letter arrives. Then off he gets to the blizzardy conditions of Alaska, to seek out his parents and unravel some mysteries. After arriving in a town of misfits he finds his inheritance includes his mother's team of sled dogs.
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Here's a film which should provoke some strong opiniong one way or the other.

I don't know what hurts more, the fact that someone as annoying as Sisqo is in it, or the fact that someone as revered as James Coburn is. It's a shame because I think the basic premise of this film is a good one. It's a set up like the comedies of the 60s and 70s. The movie could have been better, all the elements are there but Cuba Gooding Jr.s ridiculously overblown acting half the time irritates me beyond belief. It's literally like someone's taken the donkey from Shrek and given him a film all to himself. The same, annoying high pitched ranting and screaming, camera mugging, wise cracking, self loving attitude that comes with donkey is almost cloned in Cuba's character. So unfortunately Snow Dogs has a tendency to make the nerves in my brick throwing arm twitch.

So a story with potential heart is turned into basically what is a feature length episode of some Nickelodeon show like Clarissa Explains it all or Keenan and Kel, only much less watchable. Which is a shame because when Cuba does actually shut up long enough to get on with the job of acting, some talent does actually appear.

The comedy of the film is of the most irritaing slapstick variety. falling down, being bitten on the ass by dogs, being chased by dogs whilst chasee flails arms wildly etc. It's liks someone's edited together clips from and Ernest movie and some wakcy home movies where people slip on ice a lot and trip over their cat, and then the resulting footage is sped up to double speed. They ever stuff a disturbed skunk in there, the outcome I'm sure you can guess.

The relationship between Ted and his father Lightning Jack, played by Coburn at least shows the thought that must have been put in at some point. The adopted son, finds his father who doesn't want to know and the development between Ted and Barb does prove that buried amongst the crap there is some actual entertainment to this film.

Similarly the grand scope of the locations also provides some stunning scenes and attractive cinematography and there are some scenes of more "natural" comedy such as the dogs chasing the fox, which proves the camera hogging and wacky faces were completely unnecessary.

But if you stick with the film the last 30 minutes are actually quite pleasant and entertaining viewing. They do actually save the film in a way and are by far the strongest, they bring the heart the film needs. It's just a shame it takes the film so long to get there.

So Your thoughts?
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[blackcauldron85]

I as extremely surprised by "Snow Dogs"- it was a lot better than I expected. I prefered the Alaskan scenes to the Californian scenes. I thought that the movie had heart. I don't think that Cuba or Sisqo were annoying, and I definitely didn't think of Donkey from "Shrek".

The same, annoying high pitched ranting and screaming, camera mugging, wise cracking, self loving attitude that comes with donkey is almost cloned in Cuba's character.

I think that Cuba's character was made to be annoying (initially, at least), so that we can see and appreciate his transformation. He was self-centered and egotistical at first, but in Alaska he learned to appreciate life a bit more.

I love dogs, so I like most movies with dogs, so I thought that the scenes with the dogs were really cute. The part about Lightning Jack being Ted's father was unexpected, and I liked that part of the story. I also liked the love story.

I had no problem with the slapstick comedy- it's Alaska, so people are bound to slip on ice! Thinking back on the film, that's not what I think about- I remember Ted's transformation, and the sled race, and the girl, and his dad. Since the film was made, at least in part, with kids in mind, the slapstick was almost a necessity (kids don't want to sit for a feature film without some comedy in there).

All in all, I was very impressed with the film. If only it'd be released in widescreen!

[slave2moonlight]

I actually haven't seen this one since we rented it back when it first came out. As I recall, I found it enjoyable. Yeah, probably on the level of a '70's Disney film, which most folks seem to find too goofy but I have fond memories of, though it feels strange to compare to '70's Disney because those films have such a distinct look to them. One thing modern films seem to lack is a certain "look" to the overall picture. Maybe it's just because the visuals are so clear nowaday that they hardly seem like real movies at all.

Anyway, I know what you mean about Cuba's acting, but I guess I have gotten used to it over the years. I find him much more likeable now than I did when he first came on the scene.

[slave2moonlight]

I have to agree that I don't think I've ever seen Cuba at the level of Donkey from Shrek, ha.

Anyway, blackcauldron85's post made me think of something. I think "Lightning Jack" was the name of the first movie I ever saw Cuba in, ha.

As for Snow Dogs, it IS on my Disney DVD wishlist (I suppose most if not all Disney DVDs I don't own are), though not a high priority or anything. I'd put it in that huge middle area where most of the lesser '90's/millennium stuff is.

[I Love Bambi]

It grew on me. At first I didn't like some of the scenes in there, but after a while I learned to look past that and enjoy the good aspects of the film.

[PeterPanfan]

My grandma would buy a Disney film once a week when I was little. As in,like when i was 5-10. One week I came home from school,and I found the VHS of Snow Dogs lying on the coffee table. I was excited because I loved dogs and frim the previews,I thought it would be about how they talked to Ted. I popped it into the VCR and started watching. I fell asleep half way through,and have yet to finish it. I really don't remember it at all,but it's on Disney Channel a lot and I plan on watching it ASAP.

[PixarFan2006]

I rented this movie once and could never finish the entire thing. It was boring and uninteresting. The gross-out humor just did not do it for me. But, what do you expect from a director like Brian Levant?

[littlefuzzy]

I saw it once in the theater, and I seem to recall it was enjoyable... Not 5 stars, but not 1/2 star either...

Of course, since Disney has only released a full-screen version, I refuse to buy the DVD, so the theatrical release will probably be the only time I'll ever see it. I know, I *COULD* go for an international DVD, but it's not really worth the effort...