Underdog (film)

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Underdog

Underdog film poster
Directed by Frederik Du Chau
Written by Adam Rifkin
Joe Piscatella
Starring Alex Neuberger
Taylor Momsen
Jim Belushi
Peter Dinklage
John Slattery
Patrick Warburton
Brad Garrett
Amy Adams
Jason Lee
Music by Randy Edelman
Distributed by Walt Disney Pictures
Release date(s) United States:
August 9, 2007 (2007-08-09)
Language English
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

Underdog is a 2007 film released on August 3, 2007 featuring the super-powered cartoon character of the same name and several other characters from the cartoon. It is produced by Spyglass Entertainment and Classic Media and distributed theatrically in the United States by Walt Disney Pictures. This film stars Alex Neuberger as Jack Unger and features Jason Lee as the voice of the titular character.

Contents

[edit] Plot

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The movie begins in City Hall in Capital City, where the mayor is giving a speech about how crime in the city has skyrocketed. A police dog soon picks up a scent, alarming everyone and forcing the building to be evacuated because they think it's a bomb, but later finds out it's a ham. For this mistake, the dog leaves the force. Cad (Patrick Warburton) sees the dog and takes him into a lab. After he gets put into a cage surrounded by other caged dogs, the dog asks the dog next to him what this place is. The dog says that bad stuff goes on there. In the lab lobby, Cad watches the door with another security guard, Dan Unger (Jim Belushi). Dan stops a man trying to walk in, saying the lab is closed for the night. The man shows his pass, and Cad identifies him as Dr. Simon Bar Sinister (Peter Dinklage). Simon and Cad go into the lab, where they retrieve the former police dog and plan to perform an experiment on him. Simon tells the dog that it’s going to hurt a lot, which causes the dog to sneeze into Simon’s mouth, then jump out of his hands. As he runs around, the dog causes severe damage to the lab and knocks a shelf containing chemicals onto himself, and it starts a fire. The chemicals change his body around and make him able to run out of the lab by smashing his way through the wall, but after setting the lab on fire.

As the dog walks through an alley trying to figure out what just happened, he runs into the bully dog Riff Raff (Brad Garrett) and 2 other dogs (John DiMaggio and Cam Clarke). They tell the dog to get out of their alley. The dog doesn’t want any trouble, so he takes off. Unfortunately, he runs out into the street in front of a car. Dan, who is driving the car, slams on the brakes and gets out, thinking he hit the dog. After he finds the dog hiding underneath the car, Dan then thinks he didn’t hit the dog after all. Dan decides to takes him home.

The next morning, Jack Unger (Alex Neuberger) makes up a note from his dad excusing him from school. Jack walks outside and Dan shows the dog to Jack. Dan thinks they should call the dog Shoeshine, yet Jack doesn’t really like Shoeshine at first. Later, Jack gets in trouble at school, due to the illness on his sick note being "monkey pox”. When Jack comes home, he sees that Shoeshine has totally trashed the place. As Jack scolds Shoeshine, Shoeshine tells him it was an accident. Jack freaks out at the fact that Shoeshine is talking. As Jack is still trying to figure everything out, they go to a park. Also at the park is the writer for the school newspaper, Molly (Taylor Momsen). Shoeshine immediately falls for Molly’s dog, Polly Purebred (Amy Adams). After they talk, Jack gets a Frisbee out of the trash and throws it across the field; Shoeshine runs at lightning speed to catch it. Jack asks Shoeshine "What was that?" to which Shoeshine replies that it was his instincts. Then Jack decides to have some fun with Shoeshine. In a humorous scene, he wants Shoeshine bury the stick, when Shoeshine buries the stick he digs an immense hole, they hope noone saw that, then asks him what he's smelling, Shoeshine snezze a big one, and what people are saying in the park. Suddenly, Shoeshine gets a feeling that Molly and Polly are in trouble. Shoeshine starts running through the city. He accidentally starts flying and occasionally flies into things. He finds Molly’s camera being stolen by two thugs. Shoeshine beats up the two criminals (by crashing into a fire escape ladder which in turn falls) and takes off running to his home.

At home, Jake finds Shoeshine under his bed, Shoeshine didn't mean to break those cars or those garbage cans or that building and saids "Shoeshine, you're a hero.", but Shoeshine doesn't want be a hero because he think's he'll screw it up. Shoeshine just wants a home, a place where he belongs; having those powers doesn't make him a hero, noone can find out not even Dan. Just then, Jack realizes he completely forgot that his house is still a mess, so he and Shoeshine go to the living room to clean it up. As they clean, Cad stops by asking if Jack seen his lost beagle; Cad gets suspicious, but Jack says he hasn’t seen him, when Cad heard a sound, Jack tells him that it's was his blind grandpa (Instead it was Shoeshine) they were moving the crouch or repave the driveway, and closes the door. Unfortunately, Dan gets home and finds a broken window, shattered dishes, etc. Dan decides to take the dog to the pound, but Jack convinces him to let Shoeshine stay now that he likes the dog.

Meanwhile, (Simon now has a crippled leg and scars on his head.) Cad helps Simon in the sewer he’s going to be living in since his old lab is destroyed, Simon believes the sewer is the perfect place to rebuild his laboratory. However, Simon and Cad need to go back to Simon's old lab, get his stuff and bring it back to the sewer.

The next day, As Jack shows Shoeshine around the city like: When they got to the hotdog stand, Shoeshine looks at the picture of the hotdog with a face, legs and a tail and Shoeshine thinks hotdogs are made from dog, Jack explains to Shoeshine it's just animal parts like noses, etc., Jack shows his school to Shoeshine and they watch a baseball game, Jack comments on how his team are always the "underdogs", Shoeshine asks Jack is it a dog from Australia? Jack explains to Shoeshine that an underdog is someone who's countred out and nobody expects them to win,(Shoeshine can relate), when Shoeshine hear a cat meow, he want's to scare it away, but Jack tell him no, when the cat calls Shoeshine a freak, he runs at lightning speed to put the cat into a tree, Jack told Shoeshine no. Jack takes Shoeshine to the park again and teaches him 4 weeks worth of obedience training in 4 seconds. Jack also gives Shoeshine a collar with his name on it, which makes Shoeshine happy now that he finally has a home.

Back at the lab, Cad helps Simon emerge from the sewer he’s been living in; Simon is furious that his lab is destroyed and that Cad is too stupid to find the dog, but Simon still attempts to rebuild his lab.

At home, Shoeshine wants Jack's food, but insteand he gave him a rubber steak, when Jack saws the police dogs rescuing humans on tv, Jack wants to sign Shoeshine up, but Shoeshine don't want to, then Jack goes into a story about how his dad used to be the greatest cop in Capital City then quit for no reason. Dan was supposed to spend a lot more time with Jack after his mom died; however, Dan hasn’t really done a good job with that. Jack sees a jewelry heist on TV, and is certain that Shoeshine can stop the heist. Shoeshine doesn’t want to do it, but Jack convinces him to. Shoeshine flies out of the house (through a fish kite) and towards the jewelry store. When he gets there, Cad and a few henchmen are robbing the store for Simon. Shoeshine, while still wearing the fish kite, roughs up the henchmen, but gets worried when he sees a fox skin scarf lying on the store’s floor as he thinks it’s alive. He ends up scaring Cad away.

The next day, Jack tells Shoeshine that the jewelry store incident was incredible and that he should become a regular superhero. Shoeshine doesn’t want to do it though because he’s afraid he’ll be noticed and that Simon will take him back to the lab. Jack doesn’t want Shoeshine to quit, To help with Shoeshine’s problem, Jack decides that Shoeshine needs an alter-ego to protect his secret identity. They try out a few costumes, but finally settle on Dan’s old college shirt (a red shirt with a white U on it) and a blue cape, (They settle on his name: Underdog). Along with his alter-ego, they decide if Shoeshine needs to leave to help someone, he barks three times. They still to have something to get people's attention like: a catchphrase.

For the next few minutes, a montage showing Underdog stopping different crooks cues up. As he takes down crime, he works on a few different catchphrases, but finally settles on the famous, "There’s no need to fear; Underdog is here." In the same montage, Molly does a lot of research trying to figure out exactly who Underdog is.

Meanwhile, Simon is getting furious that Underdog is getting recognized for the powers he gave him. Simon comes up with an idea to lure Underdog out: Cad dresses up like an old lady and hangs out of a window of a tall building. It lures Underdog out, who flies in too fast and knocks Cad down. Underdog still saves him and brings him down to the ground; Cad puts a choke collar on Underdog and takes off the glasses. Underdog decides to take Cad for a 'walk' – he runs around the city at superfast speed, dragging Cad around. Cad goes back to Simon, who is furious for another failure; however, Cad was able to rip Shoeshine’s collar off, revealing his address.

The next day, Jack ask Shoeshine where's his collar, Shoeshine's collar was fallen off, Jack takes Shoeshine to the library so they can meet up with Molly and Polly; Shoeshine calls it a "double-date," which Jack immediately says it’s not. A man comes by saids that Jack's beagle looks like Underdog, They have to work on Shoeshine’s secret identity, so he has to wear one of those dog cones around his neck. At the library, Riff Raff and his gang comes around and makes fun of Shoeshine’s cone. Shoeshine talks with Polly, who really just talks about how amazing Underdog is. Shoeshine tells Polly that Underdog will answer any call for help.

That night, Polly stands out on her porch calling for help, Underdog comes, and when he realizes there’s really no need to be there, then he asks Polly out on a date. They fly over all over Capitol City, which Polly loves. Underdog quotes, "Let's see what's for dinner? Oh look, Italian." They stop at an Italian restaurant to steal a couple’s 'doggy bag'. As they eat on top of City Hall, Underdog drops a meatball on a cat.

Later, Jack and Shoeshine head out to go to the park (Instead they go to Molly and Polly's house). Dan asks if he can come, but Jack says he and Shoeshine will be fine. Shoeshine talks to Jack out on this, so Jack wants to apologize. However, Simon and Cad kidnap Dan and bring him to the lab. Simon now knows that Shoeshine is Underdog, so he sics his three test dogs (all German Shepherds) on Dan until he calls to Shoeshine. Shoeshine hears Dan’s call and barks three times. Jack and Shoeshine both awkwardly run away from talking with Molly and Polly; they fly in the sky to go save Dan. They get to the lab, yet end up captured. Shoeshine says Simon do will whatever to Shoeshine if Simon will let Jack and Dan go and Shoeshine agrees to give up his powers, and his powers are removed and placed into blue pills. Simon then forces Shoeshine to take one red pill, which returns him to his normal dog self.

Simon uses his new power pills to transform his test dogs into super dogs. Simon, Cad, and Simon's 3 superdogs, then goes into City Hall, Back at the lab, Jack and Dan start arguing about Dan quitting the force. Dan finally admits he only quit because he was afraid of dying and leaving Jack alone. Eventually, Dan takes a few things from the lab and they escape the lab with Shoeshine. Back at City Hall, Simon holds the mayor hostage; his demands are a billion dollars, immunity from the law (ironically, he wouldn't need money if he were free from law), and his lab restored. As the SWAT Team arrives and people gather to watch, Molly and Polly sneak in after they see Cad enter.

Jack, Dan, and Shoeshine get to City Hall and learn what’s happening. Shoeshine, who looks helpless now, suddenly smells a bomb. Shoeshine is skeptical of his smell, but ends up going inside via a vent. Shoeshine sneaks through the vent until he falls through and lands on a globe. The globe goes out of control, knocking the mayor unconscious and knocking a few of the blue power pills out of Simon’s pocket. Before Simon's dogs can finish Shoeshine off, Shoeshine eats one of the blue pills and becomes Underdog again. As the test dogs chase Shoeshine around on the walls, on the top of City Hall, Molly finds Cad strapping a bomb to the top of the building. Polly barks at Cad, which causes Cad to find both of them and tie them up where the bomb is. Back inside, Shoeshine is still running on the walls with Simon's super dogs still after him, until he gets a feeling that Molly and Polly are in danger. Simon takes a pill himself and now has all the powers Shoeshine has. He gets a sword and almost kill Shoeshine with it, but Shoeshine breaks the sword with a big metal ball and it hits Cad in the middle. However, Simon gets the upper hand by throwing a Frisbee-like shield at Shoeshine. When the test dogs are set to finish Shoeshine off, he talks to them and asks if they really like working for Simon. Simon yells at the dogs, but they get annoyed when he tries to interrupt their talk.

Finally, Shoeshine convinces them to teach Simon a lesson, but Simon is now ready to detonate a bomb (which will release a toxin in the air forcing all citizens to become like common dogs and obey him). When Simon activates the two minute countdown on the bomb, Molly screams for help. The super dogs hold Simon until the cops can get inside the building, while Molly continues to scream for help and Shoeshine goes outside to get his outfit. As the mayor gains the strength to leave City Hall, Dan decides to go inside and capture Simon. With fifty-eight seconds left on the bomb, Underdog heads up to save Molly and Polly. When he gets them free, he tells Molly to take the file to the police and tells her not to drop it. Underdog takes the bomb and digs an immense hole to put the bomb in. However, as Underdog begins to fly out of the hole, the bomb goes off with Underdog still in the hole, the bomb explodes and it's sends Underdog into space (where an astronaut (Jess Harnell) sees him). Underdog falls back down to Earth, forming a crater. For a short while, he appears to be dead, but is actually still alive. The town celebrates.

A few days later, Simon is shown to his lifetime cellmate; when he sees that it's Cad, he screams in anger. Meanwhile, Jack and Molly are at the park again. Polly still can't stop talking about Underdog, which bums Shoeshine out. When he hears a woman in need of help, he barks three times and Jack gives him his outfit. Near the telephone booth, Riff Raff and his gang comes over to bully Shoeshine again, but Shoeshine gives a mega bark that removes all of Riff Raff’s hair. The movie ends with Shoeshine getting into his outfit, then jumping up into the sky, flying around as Underdog.

[edit] Rating

This film is rated PG by the MPAA for rude humor, mild language, and action.

[edit] Cast

[edit] Voice cast

[edit] Merchandise

The merchandise for the film released on July 31, 2007 from Disney Store. Among the merchandise being released that day was a soundtrack album from Hollywood Records, and books from Disney Publishing Worldwide.

[edit] Reception

Underdog was released on August 3, 2007, in 3,013 theaters across the US. It grossed $11,585,121 on its opening weekend, placing in third among that weekend's films in release. As of October 11, 2007, Underdog made $42,937,703 at the domestic box office.

[edit] Critical

Upon its release, Underdog received cold reviews. Rotten Tomatoes' freshness rating for Underdog presently clocks in at 13 percent, the lowest achieved by any of the three pictures directed by Du Chau (His first two, Quest for Camelot and Racing Stripes, received 35% and 34% respectively.). The movie consensus on that site reads:

Underdog is a mostly forgettable adaptation that relies far too heavily on recycled material and sloppy production.

Even many of those whose work was among the 13 percent were seemingly unable to review this film on their level. Ken Fox of TV Guide said: "If you set your expectations just low enough, or are an easily satisfied 8-year-old, you might have a bit of fun." The New York Daily News saw Underdog as being "made for the Saturday morning TV crowd," claiming that "parents who lead their tykes to this adventure aren't likely to leave disappointed."

[edit] Commercial

While Underdog has sustained scathing criticism from devoted purist fans of the original TV series, that same fan base has generated sizable amounts of warm adulation for the film. Particular praise was reserved for Dinklage's Barsinister and Warburton's Cad.

[edit] DVD and Blu-ray Disc release

Underdog was released on standard DVD and high-definition Blu-ray Disc on December 18, 2007. The DVD and Blu-Ray Disc both aspect ratios with Widescreen and Fullscreen.

The DVD shows the first episode of Underdog on the bonus features.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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