Blu-ray Review: Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank

Blu-ray Reviews, Reviews, Top Story

Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank is a really fun, enjoyable movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and should be watched in the same vein. It’s a kid-oriented, animated take on the Mel Brooks’ classic, Blazing Saddles, which should give you an idea of the type of humour you’re in for – albeit with a more family friendly tone.

The story focuses on a dog named Hank (voiced by Michael Cera) who wants nothing more than to be a samurai. He’ll get his wish after an evil high-ranking official named Ika Chu (voiced by Ricky Gervais) sends him off to be the town samurai to the village of Kakamucho. The catch? Ika Chu wants to wipe Kakamucho off the map, and as part of his plan he sends Hank there knowing full well this town full of cats doesn’t welcome dogs, and once they rid themselves of Hank, Chu will swoop in and burn the village to the ground.

What Chu didn’t take into account was that Kakamucho is currently home to Jimbo (voiced by Samuel L. Jackson), a current cat-nip addict and former samurai who agrees to become Hank’s samurai master and train the helpless canine. Together they’ll go through the usual trials and tribulations that master and apprentice face in these types of films, all while jokes continuously fly at the viewer from all angles. This is a movie that’s self-aware and often ridiculous. It’s silly, light-hearted fun and that’s not a bad thing.

The acting is great, which isn’t surprising given the level of talent voicing these characters. Besides the stars already mentioned we’ve also got the likes of George Takei, Gabriel Iglesias, Aasif Mandvi, Djimon Hounsou, Michelle Yeoh, and even Mel Brooks himself as the ruler of them all, the land’s Shogun. The movie doesn’t overstay its welcome either, coming in at a brief 85-minutes in length, so while it’s overly silly throughout, it never really becomes tiresome because it’s over before it’s able to hit that point.

That said, comedy is subjective, so I can’t say that everyone will enjoy the movie as much as I did. That is, however, why I’m pointing out the type of comedy it is, so that you know going in that this isn’t going to be a deeper animated film that has loads of heart or leaves a lasting impression. Sure it’s loosely based on Blazing Saddles, but it won’t be remembered on near the same level and that’s okay. Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank is just a good time while it lasts, and that’s something that can be appreciated whether you have one life or nine.

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

Blu-ray Video and Audio Review

Paws of Fury is a wonderful looking animated film that truly shines on Blu-ray thanks to a great 1080p transfer. This is a bright film, even in the film’s darker scenes. It’s got a specific style that helps all the characters stand out, and the animation looks incredibly smooth whether it be a simple dialogue scene, or an all-out battle sequence. The art style also fits in with the film’s breaking of the fourth wall, as well as its silly and fun tone, and it all works harmoniously to make the film inviting for its viewers from a visual perspective.

The audio side of things is just as well handled, with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio that brings the characters to life with clean and clear dialogue mixed with an entertaining score, and plentiful sound effects. There’s never a moment where one side of the audio is competing with the other, and this helps make Paws of Fury an overall engaging and enjoyable home viewing experience.

Special Features:

Cool Cats and One Hot Dog – This first featurette focuses on the cast introducing their characters, the premise of the film and the lessons learned throughout. It’s a quick watch at just under 10-minutes and worth checking out if you enjoyed the film!

In the Drawing Room with Director Rob Minkoff – Here we are, well, in the drawing room with director Rob Minkoff! Here Minkoff shows the audience how to draw both Hank and Jimbo on paper or a computer!

Giving Voice to Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank We’re once again greeted by all the cast and some of the crew and we get to see them voicing their characters, as Minkoff talks about the challenges of recording during the pandemic, and a solid amount of the cast talks about their experience on the film.

Paramount Pictures Presents Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank. Directed by: Rob Minkoff, Mark Koetsier, Chris Bailey. Written by: Ed Stone, Nate Hopper, Mel Brooks. Starring: Michael Cera, Samuel L. Jackson, Ricky Gervais, Kylie Kuioka, Mel Brooks, George Takei, Gabriel Eglesias, Aasif Mandvi, Michelle Yeoh, Djimon Hounsou. Running time: 98 minutes. Rating: PG. Blu-ray Released: Oct. 11, 2022.

Brendan Campbell was here when Inside Pulse Movies began, and he’ll be here when it finishes - in 2012, when a cataclysmic event wipes out the servers, as well as everyone else on the planet other than John Cusack and those close to him. Brendan’s the #1 supporter of Keanu Reeves, a huge fan of popcorn flicks and a firm believer that sheer entertainment can take a film a long way. He currently resides in Canada, where, for reasons stated above, he’s attempting to get closer to John Cusack.