Phil Roberts 
Good Boy offers a unique and refreshing, edge-of-your-seat experience that will make you appreciate man’s best friend. While it may hold your attention for an hour, you’ll soon be searching for better Scooby snacks!
Contemporary horror is about to get a makeover in Good Boy. In a bold departure from the traditional horror fare we are accustomed to, director Ben Leonberg is inviting us to see the genre from a fresh perspective. For this latest addition to his filmography, the visionary director takes us down the rabbit hole and explores terror from the perspective of man’s best friend. In the film, Indy, the faithful hound, must intervene when dark entities threaten his human companion. But can the supernatural hijinks at play truly translate well from the perspective of an adorable pup? Or is the director barking up the wrong tree?
REVIEWÂ
Fear not, dear readers, because Good Boy is a solid addition to your horror watchlist. Ben Leonberg has delivered a tense, thought-provoking horror that will see you cuddling your beloved pets long after the credits roll. While the movie may not be the breakthrough we all hoped for, it effectively creates a thrilling environment that will inspire others for years to come. With its brilliantly executed isolation backdrop and dark, gloomy setting, the film transforms a house in the woods into a terrifying landscape, packed with solid jump scares.
However, that’s where the positives end. The film is let down by some below-par special effects and an underwhelming payoff that many in the audience will see coming from a mile away. While these detractors don’t entirely derail the film, they do detract from some of the gloss that would have made it a landmark piece of filmmaking.
THE PLOT
Good Boy follows a loyal dog as he moves to a rural family home with his owner Todd, only to discover supernatural forces lurking in the shadows. As dark entities threaten his human companion, the brave pup must fight to protect the one he loves most.
A LOYAL COMPANION
After a scintillating start that introduces us to Indy the dog and some of the supernatural creatures stalking Todd, his owner, Ben Leonberg sets the tone for the world we are about to explore. Todd, effectively played by Shane Jensen, is a devoted dog lover living with a multitude of medical issues that hinder every aspect of his life. Besides his overbearing sister, the only one by his side is Indy, a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. But things take a turn for the worse when Indy starts spotting dark figures hanging out in the corners of their city apartment.
After his latest medical episode takes its toll on him, Todd decides to retreat to his late grandfather’s isolated estate to enjoy the peace and tranquility of the countryside. The only downside is that the estate is rumored to be haunted, so much so that Todd’s sister, played by Arielle Friedman, believes the property was the cause of their grandfather’s demise. But Todd brushes his sister’s concerns aside and moves into the property. This is where our story unfolds.
NEW DIGS
Leonberg takes a bold and creative approach by keeping the faces of its human performers hidden, mainly using camera angles at eye level with Indy. This keeps us following in Indy’s pawprints, leading to a totally fresh experience. Turning humans into side characters is a risky choice, but it works effectively here… for a while. This technique pushes us to think outside the box and step away from what we usually find comfortable. Because of this, we never know when the next jump scare might hit, and Leonberg cleverly uses this idea to create a new horror sandbox for others to play in.
For the most part, the film follows Indy while he watches Todd move around the property, making it livable. However, he is stalked constantly by entities that only Indy can see. Like any devoted pet, he tries to warn his owner, but like most humans, Todd only sees his needs as a dog and mostly overlooks the spectres Indy warns him of.
JUMP SCARES
These specters are mostly depicted as ghostly shadows, which vary in CGI quality, but they serve up some noteworthy jump scares. They frequent Indy’s dreams and terrify him at every turn, but as will become abundantly clear, Todd is utterly oblivious to it all. This leaves the audience gripping the upholstery as they realize Indy is in this alone and cannot rely on human help. If you’re a dog lover like me, you’ll be yearning to charge to the rescue, but the non-animal lovers in the audience will be less affected by the pup’s plight.
Sadly, this is where the wheels fall off the wagon. With Todd and his human co-stars all but sidelined as bit-part characters, the burden of carrying the film falls on the fluffy shoulders of Indy. Thankfully, the dog is an adorable lead, but after hitting the hour mark, the film’s plot starts to feel a little thin. Sadly, this trait carries over into the finale, which ultimately falls flat as a result. Even though the film’s running time is a shrewd 73 minutes, the narrative loses momentum quickly, and it lacks the depth to make it meaningful, which is such a shame.
VERDICT
Overall, Ben Leonberg has crafted a creatively bold horror that takes some big narrative swings. Although not all land perfectly, the film offers a unique and refreshing, edge-of-your-seat experience that will make you appreciate man’s best friend. With its chilling supernatural tone, ambitious, thought-provoking, yet somewhat thin screenplay, and well-integrated special effects, the movie is a strong addition to the genre. It’s definitely not a dog’s dinner, but there are tastier cuts in the cupboard. While it may hold your attention for an hour, you’ll soon be searching for better Scooby snacks! Never underestimate puppy power!
Good Boy is released in UK cinemas on October 10th.
Meet Phil Roberts! He’s the dedicated owner, daily content manager, and editor-in-chief of The Future of the Force. Phil is a budding novelist who turned his passion toward writing about the franchises he loves back in 2016. He’s a huge fan of all things Star Wars, Batman, DC, Marvel, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, King Kong, and the Ray Harryhausen movies. Phil is a BFI-accredited journalist and a distinguished member of the Film Critics Association UK.
If he’s not catching a movie at the cinema, you can bet he’s streaming something just as awesome!
