While there was an animated movie released back in 2004, it’s fairly surprising that it’s taken this long for such a massively popular, iconic character such as Clifford the Big Red Dog to get his own live-action feature film. But they do say that good things come to those who wait, so fans of Clifford should be happy to learn that Clifford the Big Red Dog is an entertaining, heartfelt and often laugh-out-loud funny movie for people of all ages.
The story is incredibly simple, as a young girl named Emily (Darby Camp) is having trouble adjusting to her new school, often being picked on for being someone who is different and just doesn’t belong. Her mom, Maggie (Sienna Guillory), tells Emily that things will get better and then heads off to Chicago for work, leaving Emily in the care of her irresponsible Uncle Casey (Jack Whitehall.) One day on the way to school Emily sees a unique animal rescue tent in Central Park and guilts her uncle into going in. It’s there that she finds the eccentric Bridwell (played by John Cleese and named after Clifford’s creator Norman Bridwell,) who points her in the direction of an adorable red puppy that Emily wants to take home. While her uncle says she can’t get a dog, the magical nature of Bridwell’s shelter makes the decision for her, as later that evening after a rough day at school Emily finds the puppy inside her bag and gleefully names him Clifford.
After wishing that they could both be bigger so that nobody could hurt them anymore, Emily wakes up to find that her wish has come true – at least when it comes to Clifford, who is now a 10-foot dog! The film really sets the stage here that things are magical when it comes to Clifford, and while real world rules do apply in this film, the decision to go slapstick comedy – especially between Uncle Casey and Clifford – was a great call to make. The CGI team did solid work with Clifford, who looks as real as a 10-foot red dog can, all while interacting with the environment perfectly. Casey being knocked around the apartment is solid fun, and Clifford doing so while simply acting like an excited puppy makes it that much better.
While the animated Clifford from the TV show in the early 2000s would talk, here the smart decision to make Clifford an actual dog that just got bigger was made, which works so much better. There’s a wonderful innocence found in the eyes of Clifford throughout the film, and even when he makes a mess or destroys something accidentally, it’s clear that he’s just playing and isn’t out do cause trouble or cause damage. He’s the perfect counterpart to Emily, as both are shown as shunned characters that are viewed as outcasts because they’re different. As mentioned before, the story is a simple and predictable one, but that’s not overly surprising. While the film’s message about being comfortable with who you are is a good one, the characters and story could’ve benefited from a bit more depth to help elevate it some more.
One of the film’s weaker aspects comes from the antagonist, Zac Tieran (Tony Hale), the owner of Lyfgro, a genetics company that wants to feed the world and looks to do so through genetically altering animals. With $400 million spent and nothing to show for it, Tieran sees Clifford on TV and wants to claim him as Lyfgro property so that they can find out what made him big and use it for their own purposes with no regard for Clifford’s well-being. Tieran is an okay villain, and Hale does a solid job with what he’s given, but the silly way in which he gets the police to side with him and how quickly and to the extremes that they do is kind of silly – even for a movie about a giant dog.
But as a whole Clifford the Big Red Dog is just an enjoyable film that’s easy to watch. There’s a lot of physical comedy, and jokes that work for both kids and adults, without the majority being exclusive to either. Camp is fantastic as Emily and really wears the film’s heart on her sleeve, and Whitehall is perfect as Casey, with the majority of the quips coming from him with perfect delivery. His character has a childlike innocence that just fits in wonderfully, and Emily often coming off as the adult of the two is both amusing and fitting. Add in Clifford to the mix and you have a paw-some trio that will keep audiences smiling and entertained from start to finish.
Blu-ray Video and Audio Review
The movie looks great, with warmer tones taking up the majority of the film’s colour pallet which helps to boost the family friendly and lighthearted nature of the film. Clifford looks great against his real world backdrop, with a solid red tone chosen for his fur that helps him fit in while also standing out. While it’s clear at times when the actors are holding him as a puppy that he’s not actually there, when fully grown there’s not an obvious outline or awkward CGI look that takes the viewer out of the film. The visuals are nice and clean, and the few night shots there are aren’t crushed or muddy.
On the audio side of things we’ve got a great mix that works together harmoniously, which is required for a film that has a lot of dialogue happening while Clifford is banging around and sound effects are in full force. The score is also complimentary and comes through nicely, with no part of the sound mix ever fighting for dominance over the other. Overall it’s a big thumbs up to both transfers for this Blu-ray, as the 1080p resolution shines through nicely to showcase this big red dog.
Special Features:
Part of the Pack – This is a six-and-a-half minute featurette that touches on the film coming to be, casting Camp, Whitehall and Cleese, as well as their thoughts on the characters. It’s a quick, but fun watch that’s worth checking out if you’re a fan of the film.
Acting Is For The Dogs – This featurette is just over 3-minutes in length and is about what went behind bringing Clifford to life on the screen, the two actors/puppeteers who controlled him during production, the cast talking about them and working with the puppet.
The Magic of Bridwell – This is an informative little feature that’s just over 7-minutes in length and talks about Clifford’s iconic status, Norman Bridwell’s legacy as well as old interview clips of his intertwined with stories about how Clifford first became published and why he’s red. All in all it’s another short, yet solid piece on the disc.
Tips & Tricks for Taking Care of a 10-Foot Dog – This one comes in at two-and-a-half minutes and is simply shots from the film mixed in as tips. It’s a fluff addition which showcases Clifford’s antics all in one place if kids want a quick revisit, but that’s about it.
Deleted Scenes – There are also three deleted scenes – Dr. Russ, Searching for Bridwell, and Animal Blessings – if you’re a fan of seeing what was left on the cutting room floor.
Paramount Pictures Presents Clifford the Big Red Dog. Directed by: Walt Becker. Written by: Jay Scherick, David Ronn, Blaise Hemingway. Starring: Darby Camp, Jack Whitehall, John Cleese, Izaac Wang, Sienna Guillory, Tony Hale, David Alan Grier, Russell Peters. Running time: 96 minutes. Rating: PG. Blu-ray Released: Feb. 1, 2022.
About Brendan Campbell
