Rock Dog

Name: Rock Dog
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Music, Animation, Family
Released: February 24, 2017
Duration: 90 min
Rating: 48
Cast: Eddie Izzard, J.K. Simmons, Kenan Thompson, Lewis Black, Luke Wilson

2017

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 16 Critics

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 25 Ratings

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6.7

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6.7	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 25 Ratings

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Rock Dog

Movie Details & Credits

Summit Entertainment | Release Date: February 24, 2017

Starring: Eddie Izzard, J.K. Simmons, Kenan Thompson, Lewis Black, Luke Wilson, Mae Whitman

Summary: For the Tibetan Mastiffs living on Snow Mountain, a dog's life has a simple riff: Guard a peaceful village of wool-making sheep from the thuggish wolf Linnux (Lewis Black) and his rabid pack. To avoid distractions, Mastiff leader Khampa (J.K. Simmons) forbids all music from the mountain. But when Khampa's son Bodi (Luke Wilson) discovers aFor the Tibetan Mastiffs living on Snow Mountain, a dog's life has a simple riff: Guard a peaceful village of wool-making sheep from the thuggish wolf Linnux (Lewis Black) and his rabid pack. To avoid distractions, Mastiff leader Khampa (J.K. Simmons) forbids all music from the mountain. But when Khampa's son Bodi (Luke Wilson) discovers a radio dropped by a passing airplane, it takes just a few guitar licks for his fate to be sealed: Bodi wants to be a rock 'n' roll star. Yet that means defying his father's wishes, heading to the city, and locating the legendary - and reclusive - musician Angus Scattergood (Eddie Izzard), who needs to write a new song and fast. If Bodi can put a band together, help Angus with his song, and defeat the wolves' plot to take Snow Mountain, his life will be in tune. Bodi will become what he's always dreamed of being: More than a dog ... more than a Rock God... he'll be a Rock Dog!… Expand

Director: Ash Brannon

Genre(s): Adventure, Comedy, Music, Animation, Family

Rating: PG

Runtime: 90 min

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Critic Reviews

Boston Globe - Tom Russo

Feb 23, 2017

Luke Wilson, Eddie Izzard, director Ash Brannon (“Surf’s Up”), and crew combine these ingredients into something that’s uniquely likable, and even unique-looking at times. Read full review

RogerEbert.com - Glenn Kenny

Mar 2, 2017

What’s interesting about Rock Dog is just how very unapologetically a kid’s movie it is. Read full review

Empire - Emma Thrower

Jun 12, 2017

You’ll long for a slightly smoother animation style (Pixar won’t be quaking in their boots), but this surprisingly fun yarn will undoubtedly have youngsters reaching for the nearest guitar. Read full review

San Francisco Chronicle - Peter Hartlaub

Feb 23, 2017

Too lackluster to be praised highly, yet too benign to be excoriated, “Rock Dog” is the perfect family film for a rainy day with no other options. It does not deserve mention in any animation history book; and yet it’s completely satisfactory in the moment. Read full review

Los Angeles Times - Katie Walsh

Feb 23, 2017

It doesn't gel and lacks the kind of visual kinetic energy we’ve come to expect from films of this ilk. Read full review

The Hollywood Reporter - Michael Rechtshaffen

Mar 5, 2017

Buried beneath all the increasingly tired visual gags and well-worn character conventions is a workable message about following one’s muse, but director Ash Brannon, a Pixar veteran, along with at least eight other writers, seem content simply to lay down the same old licks. Read full review

Movie Nation - Roger Moore

Feb 23, 2017

Director Ash Brannon (“Surf’s Up”) and a slew of credited co-writers could not uncover a laugh in this material. Not a one-liner, not one single sight gag that pays off. The animation is generic, but pretty enough. The music? Sort of a Chinese market research idea of “rock.” Read full review

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User Reviews

ceb1031

Sep 22, 2017

Something was evidently lost in translation where the blandly rendered Rock Dog is concerned. An adaptation of the graphic novel, Tibetan Rock Dog by Zheng Jun, this draggy, computer-animated feature exhibits neither bark nor bite in its portrayal of a sheep-guarding, guitar-playingSomething was evidently lost in translation where the blandly rendered Rock Dog is concerned. An adaptation of the graphic novel, Tibetan Rock Dog by Zheng Jun, this draggy, computer-animated feature exhibits neither bark nor bite in its portrayal of a sheep-guarding, guitar-playing Himalayan mastiff who has his head perpetually in the clouds.
Coming after the film’s Chinese release last summer, which disappointed its 14 executive producers by bringing in less than 10 percent of its $60 million budget, the Americanized version, with a voice cast including Luke Wilson, Eddie Izzard, J.K. Simmons and Sam Elliott, will be hard-pressed to do much better, with a marketing campaign catering to younger pups.
While groomed by his gruff alpha dog dad, Khampa (Simmons) to keep the wolves away from the woollier inhabitants of Snow Mountain, young Bodi (Wilson) has always been distracted by the sound of music.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

FishieLemonDude

Feb 25, 2017

Rock Dog is one of the most beautiful films of all time, I know it's a Movie what China gives up, but Reel FX made this movie as possible. The director who made Surf's Up and Toy Story 2.

8/10, because It looks Great without unfunny comedy, I know the Animation is lack luster and theRock Dog is one of the most beautiful films of all time, I know it's a Movie what China gives up, but Reel FX made this movie as possible. The director who made Surf's Up and Toy Story 2.

8/10, because It looks Great without unfunny comedy, I know the Animation is lack luster and the pasting is really well done. The Characters are cute and Likable

The Voice acting is nice

The Plot is fitting how it was refreshing… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

Pucrettub

May 14, 2018

I tried taking my daughters to this movie in the theaters last year, since it was the only kid movie at the time, but we missed it. Never heard of it before, and nothing since. Got some low scores overall, and saw no one praising it. Well, it's on HBO now, and I got to see it with myI tried taking my daughters to this movie in the theaters last year, since it was the only kid movie at the time, but we missed it. Never heard of it before, and nothing since. Got some low scores overall, and saw no one praising it. Well, it's on HBO now, and I got to see it with my daughters this weekend, and I have to say: relative to all the other animated films with a Critic rating in the 40 percentile, this one does not deserve to be rated so low. Not a perfect film, but quality animation, good voice acting, funny jokes, and an easy watch. I almost completely missed this movie, and glad I didn't. I am pretty strict with children's movies since I normally watch with them, and 'Rock Dog' is a solid 80% film. Nothing stellar, but certainly good enough when you are looking for something fresh to watch with the kids! Believe me: there are much much worse films that have the same and even better ratings here on Metacritic.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Smash_RedRyu

Mar 2, 2017

I found this movie to be not awful by any means, actually I enjoyed it pretty ok. But it's not good enough to really capture me. Movie follows the plot predictable at the beginning with some differences, the dad actually gives the kid a chance to try and get into music. What feels off is theI found this movie to be not awful by any means, actually I enjoyed it pretty ok. But it's not good enough to really capture me. Movie follows the plot predictable at the beginning with some differences, the dad actually gives the kid a chance to try and get into music. What feels off is the script a bit, main character doesn't know what a radio is but knows about pizza? Idk that felt odd to me.

The animation is subpar for an animated movie but I never felt like it was born of the north or direct to DVD. But it's just short of being standard. The 2D animation in the beginning actually is really good.

In the end, I enjoyed it enough to rate it positively but it never gripped me hard like zootopia or half of the movies from last year. It's middle of the road ok, worth a rental or Netflix.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Hurricane16

Feb 4, 2018

Another cliche children’s movie, predictable and forgettable, Rock Dog doesn’t bring anything new or interesting to the long line of children’s movies that have come out this year

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

LeZee

Jul 30, 2017

Every dog has its day.

Yeah, just like what we say in our country on 'made in China', a poor and cheap quality product. It seems they never ever see the bright side in this business (making products). This is the Sino-US collaboration product and as usual the film was too poor. TheEvery dog has its day.

Yeah, just like what we say in our country on 'made in China', a poor and cheap quality product. It seems they never ever see the bright side in this business (making products). This is the Sino-US collaboration product and as usual the film was too poor. The animation was much better than some of the B animation features. But the universe was too small, or you can say restricted for certain enclosure makes it fall in as a bad film. That's when you observe the backgrounds, you would notice how substandard it is.

Visually and basic storyline seems not much different from other animated flicks. Because it kind of reminded me many awesome films from the recent past like it either be ' Kung Fu Panda' or 'Zootopia'. All about chasing the impossible dream and an inspiring theme. But still I believe the little kids like under 6-7 might enjoy it. Yeah, this is definitely not for the grown ups like most of the modern animated films are. That's a sad part, yet some adult would find it better.

The film was built on the most common clichéd platform. A young Tibetan sheepdog is not interested in what his kind destined to do. Instead, he's very much into the musics and after inspired by what the famous musician said, he embarks a journey that would decide his fate. So how his life going to change comes with the remaining parts. There were some nice comedies, but nothing tried hard to uplift film. From the beginning itself, it was so familiar, which did not give any space for a better improvement in the later parts. An average film, maybe below that, yet watchable one. Short film though, with the nice music.

4/10… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

EpicLadySponge

Feb 24, 2017

Rock Dog easily ends up being on the "Forget Me" list for movies not because it's likely it'll be forgotten by the time the next two weeks come, but it's cheesy enough to be forgettable by the week after this movie hits theaters.

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

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