One of the year’s most highly anticipated horror films is Ben Leberberg’s Good Boy. This marks a first for the genre; the story is told entirely from a dog’s point of view (Indy). Let’s talk about it.
Warning: Some Spoilers Ahead
This movie is all about Indy, an adorable dog who moves with his human, Todd, to his dad’s old house. Todd is excited, but Indy immediately gets some bad vibes. He begins seeing ghosts and creepy glimpses of the past. As a sinister force stalks Todd, Indy must step up and fight to save his best friend.
The decision to feature this point of view, from the dog’s perspective, was a brilliant move, making the film not only appealing to genre fans but also to dog owners, as there are an estimated 471 million dog owners worldwide.
First, there’s the film’s star, Indy. In addition to being adorable, Indy is very well-trained. We see Indy desperately trying to protect his master; it is endearing. The movie tugs hard at your heartstrings as you watch Indy experience the events of the film, fighting a monster, being chained up in the rain, and being thrown out of bed. Seeing Indy stressed and scared really got under my skin. It also got to my dog, Honey. She sat at attention, glued to the TV, whining and barking when Indy would. However, my other dog (Freyja) slept right through it.
I felt really sorry for Indy, not only in the movie, but also in real life. It must have been hard on him to experience what he did in the movie. We know it’s just a movie, but did he? Todd, played by Shane Jensen, is a total dick to him most of the movie. I’m aware that this was to make us feel even more for Indy. However, it left me concerned about what trauma the dog may have experienced for the sake of making entertainment. Due to his treatment of Indy, I felt little sympathy for the man. This was designed to make us feel even more for the pup, but it irked me. I don’t care what you are going through; it’s never okay to be cruel to a pet.
The director made a clever choice by not giving us a good look at Jensen’s face during the film, which effectively drove home the idea that the movie is all about the dog.
During the film, we see Indy reacting to a dark, black, gooey figure and glimpses of ghosts, both the main character’s father and the ghost of his dog. My interpretation is that the black figure that looks as if it is dripping in tar represents cancer, which Indy’s owner has. And it appears that the same entity stalked Todd’s father. Watching a loved one who has cancer is horrific. I felt that aspect of the film. I lost my father to cancer, so it hit close to home for me. Witnessing someone you love transform and become someone different is difficult and painful. And for a dog, their person is their whole world, and they don’t understand, so I imagine it is truly gut-wrenching for them.
I find it surprising that this was director Ben Leberberg’s directorial debut. He builds tension like an expert. I was on the edge of my seat, yelling at the screen (so was my dog) throughout the entire film. Yes, there were a couple of scares, but it’s the intensity and tension that sets the film apart, along with the fact that it has a dog star. And the director’s decision to tell the story from Indy’s point of view couldn’t have been a better idea. It’s genius.
On another note, I like the way that the story unfolded, the way the events were laid out, and the secrets revealed. It’s also well-paced and keeps your attention.
In conclusion, I would definitely recommend the film. It’s eerie, intense, and clever. And Jesus, it hits you right in the feels. And as for the film’s star, Indy, he is definitely a very good boy. Don’t miss Good Boy, which is set to open in theaters on October 3.
