I seriously think some users here on IMDb are being undeservedly harsh on this movie. What the motives are, I'm not too sure, but I can recommend some of them to watch the documentary Heckler. Now, back to subject, sorry for digressing, I've seen worse movies get higher ratings at IMDb. Now, I'm not really a fan of Owen Wilson or movies that have animals talking, but I feel this movie is at least a high 4 to low 5, in keeping in line with other movies reviewed on IMDb. I voted 5. I watched 2 movies - namely, Thomas the cool mule and that Aussie Ted movie that I would rank at 2 - 3 each, but not this movie. This movie is not brilliant or the best kiddies movie out there, but it's good, clean family fun. That's all I expected when I took my kid to watch this. And he enjoyed it. Unlike those other 2 movies I mentioned earlier.
84 Reviews
It is a good movie
selarom-yar19 March 2011
I just saw this movie for the first time. I came to it with an open mind willing to be entertained. I have to admit that it was a good family movie that it is paced well and tells a simple story. Not full of of slapstick joke, but it has a very refreshing predictable and simple plot and easy to follow. A great movie for discussing family values and what loyalty, love and friendship is all about and the dynamics of it.
Good family movie . . . don't listen to the basher and purist that movies have to be a perfect reflection of reality. This is a great movie in a traditional sense.
Sit and back and enjoy it . . .
Good family movie . . . don't listen to the basher and purist that movies have to be a perfect reflection of reality. This is a great movie in a traditional sense.
Sit and back and enjoy it . . .
Another creepy over-use of CGI - a horrible adaptation to film!
MsMovie22 October 2010
My 3 year old loves animal movies, even Beverly Hills Chihuahua (which let's face it was pretty average at best). She didn't like this movie at all.
It's not cute, it's not adult, it's not a lot of things and the most important thing it isn't is entertaining.
This film is a horrible adaptation from a beloved cartoon - the characters are not really likable, there is a confusing mish-mosh of adult aimed humor and situations involving the dogs, and then just horrible parts featuring the humans. William H Macy is sinister and extremely creepy as the dog food company owner - he could have been kooky and funny, a little zany perhaps, but no, he comes across as aggressive, pushy and sinister.
The story itself is stupid and lacking in any real interest for the young kids this movie is really supposed to be aimed at. The adults forced to take the kids won't find anything better in it either.
I would advise anyone not to even both renting it for a dollar, it's not worth it, and I don't say that about many movies.
CGI may be very clever and way better than it used to be, but this movie over uses it to the point of boredom on the part of the viewer.
CGI isn't enough if there is no real, interesting story - I for one could care less about Phil and his new job at the pet food company.
Nothing about this movie is appealing!
It's not cute, it's not adult, it's not a lot of things and the most important thing it isn't is entertaining.
This film is a horrible adaptation from a beloved cartoon - the characters are not really likable, there is a confusing mish-mosh of adult aimed humor and situations involving the dogs, and then just horrible parts featuring the humans. William H Macy is sinister and extremely creepy as the dog food company owner - he could have been kooky and funny, a little zany perhaps, but no, he comes across as aggressive, pushy and sinister.
The story itself is stupid and lacking in any real interest for the young kids this movie is really supposed to be aimed at. The adults forced to take the kids won't find anything better in it either.
I would advise anyone not to even both renting it for a dollar, it's not worth it, and I don't say that about many movies.
CGI may be very clever and way better than it used to be, but this movie over uses it to the point of boredom on the part of the viewer.
CGI isn't enough if there is no real, interesting story - I for one could care less about Phil and his new job at the pet food company.
Nothing about this movie is appealing!
Horrible film, okay for the kiddies but torture for adults
Futurama_Fanatic11 May 2010
Some guy was giving out tickets to a test screening of this abomination to mankind, and I decided "Eh, free film and I always liked Marmaduke". Well, I was wrong. This film is a physically painful experience. This film consists of the BAD jokes from Marley & Me. The difference is, Marley & Me was touching and funny and cute. This is horrible. No more words to fit this. HORRIBLE! The horrible scene that sticks out the most is the dancing dogs sequence that features a ton of dogs dancing around to music in a park. I just saw a preview for this film on TV, and the song "Tik Tok" was playing during it. Tik Tok, during a dog film commercial. The writing is horrible, the acting is horrible, the effects are horrible, the jokes are horrible, the music is horrible, EVERY SINGLE LAST THING IS HORRIBLE!
I did not apply a rating to this review as 1 is too good for this.
EDIT: Under pressure from somebody, I watched the film in theaters to see if anything was different. I was wrong... IT WAS EVEN WORSE!
I did not apply a rating to this review as 1 is too good for this.
EDIT: Under pressure from somebody, I watched the film in theaters to see if anything was different. I was wrong... IT WAS EVEN WORSE!
I liked the part where the fake dogs danced
thesubstream5 June 2010
The funniest joke in the long-awaited live-action/CGI adaptation of everyone's second-least favourite comic strip Marmaduke is actually intentional, which is kind of impressive. Of course, it's not funny in the way that the filmmakers intended it to be funny so that's too bad I guess but it is actually a joke that is actually funny. Some connection had been made, through the layers of awful script and boring staging and legitimately creepy CGI. They intended to make me laugh, when they had the mean dog Bosco call out our Owen-Wilson-voiced hero in the middle of the hero's crowning moment, a big raucous "O.C. rager" of a party, icing our dog out with a growled, "Marmaduke? More like
Marmafake." And they did.
I laughed, I admit it. Marmapuke, Marmapoop, Marmadreck there's a lot of ways the screenwriters could have gone, and they chose Marmafake, which well dog-gone it, it doesn't even rhyme. Notes: I also laughed when the filmmakers, seeking to set the tone after Marmaduke & family's big cross-country move to the O.C. from Kansas so the dad (Lee Pace) could work for a dog-food company with a mean boss (William H. Macy, for some inexplicable reason) by mixing "California" by Phantom Planet almost directly into "California Love" by 2Pac. I assume they'd spent all the soundtrack licensing money by that point, because they left out "California" by Belinda Carlisle and "California" by John Mayall and "California" by Joni Mitchell and "Going back to Cali(fornia)" by L.L. Cool J and "Hotel California" by the Eagles. Too bad.
Anyway Marmaduke is, we're told, a big, gangly goofy dog played by two or more real dogs in the film, that talks with a creepy CGI animated mouth. I'm pretty sure, at least, that they used more than one dog because sometimes Marmaduke has a big, dangly pair of testicles, and sometimes he doesn't, which is obviously problematic and I started thinking, while on-screen Marmaduke was having another interminable dialogue session with some other dog about something that to so brazenly, as filmmakers, use dogs with varying levels of testicle-havingness is kind of bold, almost as if they're saying "Yeah, sometimes 'duke's got nuts and sometimes he doesn't. We don't care, because nobody will notice, and if they do notice, it's because you're a perverted weirdo who both looks at and notes dog's nuts." Which left me feeling vaguely insulted, and terribly aggrieved.
So Marmaduke has some friends that are dogs and some enemies, and he makes some mistakes and eventually gets sad and runs away from his family and his haughty girlfriend, voiced by Fergie from the Black-Eyed Peas, who is actually a better voice actor than she is a singer. Marmaduke then falls into a sink-hole along with another funny-looking but faithful and nice dog (voice of Emma Stone) and then or perhaps before then there is a dog-surfing championship and everything is fine, even the sub-plots about 'duke's dad's mean boss and his kid that hates soccer.
Kids might like it, but I doubt it, as aside from being creepy and awkward and really poorly plotted it's just dull. One of the first thing they teach you in screen writing school is "show, don't tell", that expository dialogue is a no-no and narrators all the more so. But dogs can't really act, and they don't really do anything except run around and eat sandwiches so for the film to have a narrative structure the dogs have to talk, a lot, explaining everything, and because dogs don't drive or frame houses or fold clothes they talk while just standing there looking around. It's hellaciously boring, but probably unavoidable as Marmaduke is clearly an intellectual property that fans have literally been screeching and rending their clothes to see brought to the big screen and given the ol' Hollywood treatment.
I don't have anything more to say about Marmaduke. 2/10
I laughed, I admit it. Marmapuke, Marmapoop, Marmadreck there's a lot of ways the screenwriters could have gone, and they chose Marmafake, which well dog-gone it, it doesn't even rhyme. Notes: I also laughed when the filmmakers, seeking to set the tone after Marmaduke & family's big cross-country move to the O.C. from Kansas so the dad (Lee Pace) could work for a dog-food company with a mean boss (William H. Macy, for some inexplicable reason) by mixing "California" by Phantom Planet almost directly into "California Love" by 2Pac. I assume they'd spent all the soundtrack licensing money by that point, because they left out "California" by Belinda Carlisle and "California" by John Mayall and "California" by Joni Mitchell and "Going back to Cali(fornia)" by L.L. Cool J and "Hotel California" by the Eagles. Too bad.
Anyway Marmaduke is, we're told, a big, gangly goofy dog played by two or more real dogs in the film, that talks with a creepy CGI animated mouth. I'm pretty sure, at least, that they used more than one dog because sometimes Marmaduke has a big, dangly pair of testicles, and sometimes he doesn't, which is obviously problematic and I started thinking, while on-screen Marmaduke was having another interminable dialogue session with some other dog about something that to so brazenly, as filmmakers, use dogs with varying levels of testicle-havingness is kind of bold, almost as if they're saying "Yeah, sometimes 'duke's got nuts and sometimes he doesn't. We don't care, because nobody will notice, and if they do notice, it's because you're a perverted weirdo who both looks at and notes dog's nuts." Which left me feeling vaguely insulted, and terribly aggrieved.
So Marmaduke has some friends that are dogs and some enemies, and he makes some mistakes and eventually gets sad and runs away from his family and his haughty girlfriend, voiced by Fergie from the Black-Eyed Peas, who is actually a better voice actor than she is a singer. Marmaduke then falls into a sink-hole along with another funny-looking but faithful and nice dog (voice of Emma Stone) and then or perhaps before then there is a dog-surfing championship and everything is fine, even the sub-plots about 'duke's dad's mean boss and his kid that hates soccer.
Kids might like it, but I doubt it, as aside from being creepy and awkward and really poorly plotted it's just dull. One of the first thing they teach you in screen writing school is "show, don't tell", that expository dialogue is a no-no and narrators all the more so. But dogs can't really act, and they don't really do anything except run around and eat sandwiches so for the film to have a narrative structure the dogs have to talk, a lot, explaining everything, and because dogs don't drive or frame houses or fold clothes they talk while just standing there looking around. It's hellaciously boring, but probably unavoidable as Marmaduke is clearly an intellectual property that fans have literally been screeching and rending their clothes to see brought to the big screen and given the ol' Hollywood treatment.
I don't have anything more to say about Marmaduke. 2/10
I would rather get mauled by a Great Dane
starlimitz213 May 2014
The results of when a mediocre idea for a movie like Garfield actually turns a profit. Producers rummage through the Sundays to find another decently popular comic strip with a similar idea, and stumble upon Marmaduke. Add in a terrible script, no respect for the source material, and a whole bunch of random celebrity voices, and you have a movie with absolutely no merit to speak for. This movie had dialog that has not seen the light of day, and for good reason. While there were some slightly funny moments here and there, it was all just lazy comedy. The fact that they made Marmaduke talk in the first place was one of the biggest mistakes the movie came up with. All of the lines about "Oh no! I can't do it!" and then the "Come on, you can do it!" then we have the "I'm scared! I can't do it!" and then the God-awful "Oh, wow, I can do it! Yay!" These moments were a fall-back to actually writing something. I could go on and on about how bad this movie was, but you won't understand unless you actually watch it, and keep watching it once the song-and-dance routine starts at the end, with bad CGI Dogs doing the mummy dance. I really wish I were kidding right now. Anyway, skip over this. The DVD cover with the cat and dog in sunglasses should be a huge clue as to how much this movie insults your intelligence. Sorry for the rant.
This might become a punching bag
sampsoninc9164 June 2010
Every now and then, a movie comes out that critics, general audiences, and social network users love to pick on. Furry Vengeance came out in April of this year, receiving bad reviews and performing badly at the box office because it was unappealing to moviegoers. Now we have another one of those flicks, and low and behold, it's in the same category. Talking animals, and an attempt to be family friendly, but instead looks poorly not-so family friendly. When I first heard about the flick, I thought it would be just humans talking and trying to help and protect animals through bad circumstances, something I would do if I made a movie. But then the front page said "featuring the voice of Owen Wilson", and I thought, uh-oh, another talking animal movie. I watched the trailer, and it threw at me all the stock clichés, comedic pauses, rated PG, men rejected by women even for heroic causes, a use of teenagers instead of elementary school children (ie. ET and it's rip off "Mac and Me"), use of stars who are desperate for a paycheck, and several gross-out jokes. It was like I was trained to expect this in every live action family comedy released in this day and age. Could it possibly get any worse, I thought. Yes it did. A terribly executed dog dance at the end was so assaultive that my eyes were about to bulge out of my skull just like BoCo when he was tricked by Bill and Ben in The Diseasel, a Thomas the Tank Engine episode. With businesses down, foreclosures of houses, lay offs of jobs, high ticket prices, a bad box office summer this year, high ticket prices, and the ability to criticize films on social networks these days, I don't exactly see this as a surefire success, but then again, I'm secretly and sadly expecting it to be. By the way, I'm all ready to go back to a decade and a half to simpler times when I go see Toy Story 3. Save your money on that. I think I see the downfall of good CGI and decency with talking animals here. So far Babe is the best talking animal movie I can think of. Maybe you should let your kids see that.
Sad excuse for a movie
sillefamilyaz22 June 2010
Warning: Spoilers
This movie was a real disappointment. Even my 8 and 9 year olds thought it was horrible!! Instead of focusing on the goofy, lovable antics of the comic-strip Marmaduke we know and love, we're subjected to another lame doggy love story. (Is it just me, or is it any wonder that teen pregnancy is such a huge problem? From the time they can watch a movie, our kids are subliminally told that they MUST have a love interest or life's not worth living.I'm getting tired if it.)The plot also involves Marmaduke having to learn where he "fits in", while fighting off the neighborhood doggy-bully.Does any of this sound familiar? I wish Hollywood could come up with something original for a change.Anyway,don't waste your time or money on this loser.
Well, let's be honest, did anyone actually expect it to be good?
abrown9759 June 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Good Lord, this movie was painfully awful to sit through. I knew that this movie was going to suck when I saw the trailer and the promos with the dogs dancing in the park, but then I saw it in theaters and I don't even know if I can fit all of the problems in this review, but here it goes: #1- The jokes were horrible. Unfunny one-liners and word plays and, surprise surprise, cheesy fart sound effects used in so many movies it has become recognizable have been placed around almost every corner, so be sure to watch out. #2- The acting was awful. Owen Wilson has no personality (he rarely does in any movie I am sorry to say), the voice-overs by the rest of the cast were either bad or mediocre, but the the thing that set the record for me was Lee Page. My God, he overacted all the time, mainly whenever he yelled "Marmaduke, NO!" A stalk of corn could be acting and it would still be less corny than Lee Page in his role. And #3- Wow, can you say "low budget"? When I saw the movie, I thought it couldn't get any worse, but it did- the dancing dogs. The really sad thing was it looked bad in the promos, but it was even worse in theaters. The dogs looked so fake and cheesy when they were dancing and I would love to know what the producer was thinking when he thought that would be a good scene to put in the movie. The CGI animation just looked so low budget that it just ruined the movie.
Well, I did the best I could. I probably did not list all the ones I wanted, but oh well. And before anyone says that it's just a kids movie and that I should cut it some slack, they should keep quiet. Just because it's a kids movie does not mean it can't suck. Up was a kids movie and it was great. Furry Vengeance was a kids movie and it was horrible. There is a difference. I rate this movie with a 1 out of 10, and the only thing keeping it from being a zero is because of the all star cast. Other than that, stay away from this movie. There are only two uses I can think of for this movie: if you have a table that keeps wobbling, by a DVD to put under it so it'll stop, or if you have ingested poison and need to induce vomiting, watch the dog dance sequence over and over. So, avoid this movie like dog poop on the sidewalk.
Well, I did the best I could. I probably did not list all the ones I wanted, but oh well. And before anyone says that it's just a kids movie and that I should cut it some slack, they should keep quiet. Just because it's a kids movie does not mean it can't suck. Up was a kids movie and it was great. Furry Vengeance was a kids movie and it was horrible. There is a difference. I rate this movie with a 1 out of 10, and the only thing keeping it from being a zero is because of the all star cast. Other than that, stay away from this movie. There are only two uses I can think of for this movie: if you have a table that keeps wobbling, by a DVD to put under it so it'll stop, or if you have ingested poison and need to induce vomiting, watch the dog dance sequence over and over. So, avoid this movie like dog poop on the sidewalk.
A fun family adventure.
jhpstrydom18 June 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Looking at the negative reviews I'd say those people saw the wrong movie, MARMADUKE is a family feature which is not meant to be taken seriously, it is meant to entertain and its mostly aimed at kids but for me it was fun, the storyline as a familiar formula used in many films of its genre, lovable great Dane moves to a new home in the city, makes new friends and at the end of the movie he learns something very important.
All in all, I think the IMDb rating is way off, me I give it a 7, because its fun, you'll kids will love it, a lot of the jokes are actually really funny and like many fun family capers, it has its fare share of likable characters you'll definitely be talking about for a while.
So, when you go to see MARMADUKE, just switch your brains to neutral and have fun.
All in all, I think the IMDb rating is way off, me I give it a 7, because its fun, you'll kids will love it, a lot of the jokes are actually really funny and like many fun family capers, it has its fare share of likable characters you'll definitely be talking about for a while.
So, when you go to see MARMADUKE, just switch your brains to neutral and have fun.
If it weren't for this, Furry Vengeance would still be the worst film of the year
Jackpollins6 June 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Okay, let me clarify something here: I loved Garfield & The Cat In The Hat. With both those movies being guilty pleasures for me, don't accuse me of being biased towards talking animal films. That being said, Marmaduke is the worst film of the year. I couldn't believe that good actors like Owen Wilson, Sam Elliott, and Emma Stone were voices in this. I also could not believe how dull the incredibly talented Lee Pace and the incredibly talented William H. Macy were in this. The film is a plot less mess trying to claim itself as a movie but failing miserably. It's too mean spirited with jokes about dogs getting high for kids and too immature with jokes about dogs farting for adults. There's really no audience for this film, unless some other planet finds all this stuff funny. If you are ever to use this movie for anything, break the DVD where you're mad. Everyone involved in this project, talented or not, should be ashamed of themselves for being in this terrible film. Even if you've read the comic strip, there's no nostalgia or entertainment value here as they have turned it into modernized crap. Overall, you can simply skip Marmaduke because this is a really sad day for film.
Great movie for young children or elderly parents
redmatrix-17 August 2010
This isn't a great movie, and knowing this before you go is key. Take your kids, or your easily-offended-with-R-movies mom. Don't take your date, not a date movie.
The story is predictable, but that's okay. I found myself laughing at some funny parts, yes, out loud.
I give this movie an 8 because it was a nice distraction for my mom. Before going to the dollar cinema, I read the reviews here on IMDb. I went in expecting a 2 star movie, but it's really not that bad.
I stayed with it and had some fun with my mom. She didn't cry or fuss or anything. LOL.
The story is predictable, but that's okay. I found myself laughing at some funny parts, yes, out loud.
I give this movie an 8 because it was a nice distraction for my mom. Before going to the dollar cinema, I read the reviews here on IMDb. I went in expecting a 2 star movie, but it's really not that bad.
I stayed with it and had some fun with my mom. She didn't cry or fuss or anything. LOL.
Ultimately watchable.
paulleatherlandis6 September 2010
Don't know why so many people have a downer on this.I took my 7yo and 3yo boys to this and they really liked it!
I thought it was OK, not great but OK easy to watch. Now is that not what a kids film should be? Too many people out there think they are experts, just relax man and watch the movie.
Instead of writing crap about every film, it's unfair as myself as a parent checked the reviews for this. I am pleased I ignored them as I have my suspicions about a lot of these reviewers. This is a long line now in poor reviews which turn out to be decent movies. End result the kids had a good time watching a nice gentle movie with some laughs-get over yourselves.
I thought it was OK, not great but OK easy to watch. Now is that not what a kids film should be? Too many people out there think they are experts, just relax man and watch the movie.
Instead of writing crap about every film, it's unfair as myself as a parent checked the reviews for this. I am pleased I ignored them as I have my suspicions about a lot of these reviewers. This is a long line now in poor reviews which turn out to be decent movies. End result the kids had a good time watching a nice gentle movie with some laughs-get over yourselves.
As criminally misunderstood a thing Dey has ever captured on film
Organic_67 August 2010
When I heard 20th Century Fox would be adapting the fifty-year old classic comic strip, Marmaduke, to the big screen I was gleefully entranced in an uninterrupted state of anticipation. We're talking about the same studio that flawlessly reconstructed the dated Garfield and SO last decade Alvin & the Chipmunks to fit into this fresher generation of modernized teen lingo, consistent pop culture references and omitting an occasional bodily humor gag every now and then (every two minutes can be considered occasional, right?). I'm happy to say that this is a worthy new addition to the gang that I go as far as to hold on par with Mike Myer's glorious Cat in the Hat.
First of all you have to appreciate the man who helmed it all, Tom Dey, for establishing a brave new look towards the characteristics of a beloved cartoon canine. All he really had to pick was a flashier setting, increase the obliviousness of his human companions, maybe add the most hip pop songs on Billboard's Top 100 during a montage, OH he also may have also added more ignorance to his personality. But that's okay; out of all the things they could have forgotten I'm grateful they've maintained the premise of destructive, slapstick-reliant Great Dane. Once I saw that pack of computer-animated dogs dancing in unison to "What I Like About You", I realized this would be the most criminally misunderstood thing Dey had ever captured on film since Terry Bradshaw's rear end.
Major kudos also goes out Owen Wilson for FINALLY picking a well-meaning dog movie this time around. Marley and Me was idiotically under the impression you could show the shenanigans of a household pet every once in a while, but spend the rest of the time observing serious consequences and responsibilities of owning him. What were they thinking?!?! Kids shouldn't worry about all that – their parents should! Children should be aware that it's okay for a dog to run around wet after a bath, violently flip over masters and succumb to peer pressure for the sake of holding a party. Your mom will take care of it, little guy until then, point and laugh!!! Not only does Wilson pick a better dog movie this time around, but also voice character too. What America was thinking in making Cars a $200 million hit, I shall never comprehend. It took an admirable, heroic lead who knew his place in society and had his mind twisted around into thinking losing is excusable. Un-be-lievable! Marmaduke on the other hand gives some strategical tips to the youth of our ages to fit in: if your household canine can't squeeze into anybody's $700 Gucci purse, than you should deny all existence of the one you actually own until he does something cool like surfing. You'll never live up to be the next Paris Hilton with that overly strong a backbone, sweety.
Marmaduke didn't get the strong box office performance or glowing reviews it deserved. Hopefully it has a better shelf life when it comes to DVD this August. That's right August. How cool are these producers for putting it from the big screen to TV within a three month period? Really cool, I know. Just goes to show that if movies are as good as the time it takes them to get to stores, than I'd be embarrassed to be attached to Monsters Inc and it's 10 month gap.
First of all you have to appreciate the man who helmed it all, Tom Dey, for establishing a brave new look towards the characteristics of a beloved cartoon canine. All he really had to pick was a flashier setting, increase the obliviousness of his human companions, maybe add the most hip pop songs on Billboard's Top 100 during a montage, OH he also may have also added more ignorance to his personality. But that's okay; out of all the things they could have forgotten I'm grateful they've maintained the premise of destructive, slapstick-reliant Great Dane. Once I saw that pack of computer-animated dogs dancing in unison to "What I Like About You", I realized this would be the most criminally misunderstood thing Dey had ever captured on film since Terry Bradshaw's rear end.
Major kudos also goes out Owen Wilson for FINALLY picking a well-meaning dog movie this time around. Marley and Me was idiotically under the impression you could show the shenanigans of a household pet every once in a while, but spend the rest of the time observing serious consequences and responsibilities of owning him. What were they thinking?!?! Kids shouldn't worry about all that – their parents should! Children should be aware that it's okay for a dog to run around wet after a bath, violently flip over masters and succumb to peer pressure for the sake of holding a party. Your mom will take care of it, little guy until then, point and laugh!!! Not only does Wilson pick a better dog movie this time around, but also voice character too. What America was thinking in making Cars a $200 million hit, I shall never comprehend. It took an admirable, heroic lead who knew his place in society and had his mind twisted around into thinking losing is excusable. Un-be-lievable! Marmaduke on the other hand gives some strategical tips to the youth of our ages to fit in: if your household canine can't squeeze into anybody's $700 Gucci purse, than you should deny all existence of the one you actually own until he does something cool like surfing. You'll never live up to be the next Paris Hilton with that overly strong a backbone, sweety.
Marmaduke didn't get the strong box office performance or glowing reviews it deserved. Hopefully it has a better shelf life when it comes to DVD this August. That's right August. How cool are these producers for putting it from the big screen to TV within a three month period? Really cool, I know. Just goes to show that if movies are as good as the time it takes them to get to stores, than I'd be embarrassed to be attached to Monsters Inc and it's 10 month gap.
A fun movie with a good message
helo426 June 2010
So the first two reviewers who panned it never saw it. How open-minded of them. Some people are way too sophisticated for a movie like this and should just order a latte and go to an art house movie.
I saw it, it was fun. Kids and adults laughed throughout. At the end adult guys in the lobby were cracking jokes and repeating lines from the movie.
It has a strong theme of "don't put others into groups and turn your back on your friends" and "parents, pay attention to your kids. Work and career are not as important as family." Which maybe explains why some won't like it - maybe those themes hit a little too close to home.
This movie was a great diversion from all the problems going on today. Relax and enjoy it.
I saw it, it was fun. Kids and adults laughed throughout. At the end adult guys in the lobby were cracking jokes and repeating lines from the movie.
It has a strong theme of "don't put others into groups and turn your back on your friends" and "parents, pay attention to your kids. Work and career are not as important as family." Which maybe explains why some won't like it - maybe those themes hit a little too close to home.
This movie was a great diversion from all the problems going on today. Relax and enjoy it.
Marma dud
Quietb-18 June 2010
Warning: Spoilers
No one over eight should see this movie. Dogs talk but only other dogs and the audience hears them. The only time Owen Wilson (the voice of Marmaduke) stops talking is to pass gas. The lessons of family, be yourself and accept others is lost in the sea of repeated poop jokes, pee jokes and no jokes. On the plus side there's a nice cross section of dog breeds on screen. For a short movie it seemed like a very long time to get to the dancing dog scene highlight of the trailer. The dogs in peril action may be too intense for the age group that might enjoy this movie. See it only with a young child and enjoy it through their eyes.
Marmaduke (2010)
SnakesOnAnAfricanPlain5 July 2012
The comic strip character of Marmaduke wasn't exactly calling for a motion picture. But give a film a recognisable name and you can sell anything. Marmaduke follows the adventures of a dog and his family as they move from Kansas to California. The dog is a little prick. He purposefully causes problems, such as ruining the house, hurting people, and making a mess. He enjoys acting this way. He breaks the fourth wall and talks to us but we don't care. I don't want to hear from him. He sucks. Early on Marmaduke farts and says he is juvenile. That's the film in a nutshell. It's filled with a voice cast hoping they wont be recognised and that you'll leave before the end credits. Obviously Wilson and Sutherland are unmistakable, but I think the rest should be named and shamed. Steve Coogan, Emma Stone, Christopher Mintz-Plasse. Hand your heads. As Marmaduke and co go on a series of adventures, in one of which Marmaduke turns into a raging racist and starts hating on half-breeds. Unfortunately he doesn't go the way of Voldemort. Meanwhile the humans are involved in a very dull plot involving marketing for an organic pet food company. Pace plays the kind of father who is constantly beaten down. His family would rather he risk his job and look for their dog instead of going to an important meeting. The comedy is atrocious. I keep hearing the argument that this is for kids. Then why does it reference dozens of adult films? Almost Famous, Midnight Cowboy, The Elephant Man. These are just a few stolen lines that make no damn sense at all. There's also two drug references. This is really scraping the bottom of the barrel, with outdated and simplified lessons on life, and a sudden climax involving a road collapsing. It was horrible.
Great Dane great disappointment.
michaelRokeefe12 June 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Not to say long over due...Marmaduke the comic strip icon has been drawn by Brad Anderson since 1954. Now the Great Dane, voiced by Owen Wilson, has his own movie. Hype has been mediocre and the reaction similar. An advertising executive(Lee Pace)uproots his family and Marmaduke to take a job with a California based dog food company. From the windblown plains of Kansas to the sunny beaches of California is enough culture shock for anyone...Marmaduke even is forced to make new canine friends at a local dog park. The household feline pet Carlos(George Lopez)may just end up Marmaduke's best friend after all of the calamities and near disasters that seem to come with the new locale.
The story line is nothing special and the F/X nothing to brag about either. Also in the cast: Judy Greer, William H. Macy, Heather Doerksen and the vocal talents of Fergie, Emma Stone, Keifer Sutherland, Marlon Wayans and Sam Elliott.
The story line is nothing special and the F/X nothing to brag about either. Also in the cast: Judy Greer, William H. Macy, Heather Doerksen and the vocal talents of Fergie, Emma Stone, Keifer Sutherland, Marlon Wayans and Sam Elliott.
Ideal for kids, but adults may find it hard to watch
TheLittleSongbird1 June 2011
I am not going to compare copiously here, but I do agree about Marmaduke being a poor adaptation. It isn't completely awful, as the locations and photography are striking and the soundtrack is infectious. Plus there is the occasional good amount of CGI. However, what let it down was the weakness of the story and script. The story is the sort of story that works better as a 30 minute animated short at least, the whole plot felt not only very predictable but very overstretched too. While the script is decidedly lacklustre at best, with humour that would be perhaps too sophisticated for kids and too childish for adults. Kids may like it because the dogs are quite cute and do look good, though in regards to the CGI I do think there is too much of it. The direction is not exactly a high point either, like the story it is never sure of what it wants to do, and the acting is pretty weak, well the voice work was passable but the human characters are not developed or written well at all and the performances suffer as a consequence. In conclusion, partially succeeds as a kids movie, fails as a family movie, in my opinion of course. 3/10 Bethany Cox
Rated PG for Parental Gagging...
sandtonvideo19 October 2010
Warning: Spoilers
MARMADUKE (very minor spoiler ahead) This is a movie that RottenTomatoes gave a 90% rotten rating, that received a 30/100 Metacritic rating, and a 2.8 (out of 10) from IMDb. So why did so many think that this is a "steaming pile" (as one dog eloquently puts it in the movie)? The answer is twofold, perhaps: (1) Marmaduke the comic is a sweet one-panel cartoon that usually derives its humor from Marmaduke's size (Marmaduke is a Great Dane, in case you are unfamiliar with the cartoon). Its humor is simple and direct, and Marmaduke the movie is not. What Marmaduke the movie is, is another stereotype teen high school movie with dogs instead of humans, which is reason (2). After so many movies about how nasty and vicious the "in" kids are and how the sweet, downtrodden "not in" kids triumph in the end, doing the same cliché with dogs instead of people doesn't refresh the cliché, it just turns it into, well, a steaming pile. Now, having given you the down side, here is the good part: the movie is full of physical comedy, jokes, more physical comedy, and an energy that will please many children. And this is reason enough to make it less odious to parents: it's hard to hate a movie that is making your child laugh. And of course the movie is full of dogs, and who doesn't have a soft spot for man's best friend? Judged as cinematic art, this is horrible. But as children's entertainment, it will be fine for many children. Taken as such, it is quite passable (but then, so are many kidney stones; you just might experience some pain from both).
Talking dogs provide corny but wholesome family entertainment
Turfseer10 December 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Since I'm a big dog lover (and I loved 'Beverly Hills Chihuahua'), I had great expectations for 'Marmaduke'. It's based on a well-known comic strip but isn't as intense as 'Chihuahua'. The plot focuses on Phil, a marketing consultant, who moves his family from Kansas to Orange County, California after being hired by Don Twombly (William H. Macy), owner of Bark Organics, a new age pet food company. Phil owns the star of the film, a Great Dane named Marmaduke (who speaks to the film audience but cannot be heard by the characters in the film). Marmaduke the film is less sophisticated than 'Chihuahua' since its human antagonist, Twombly, is a wacky passive-aggressive type as opposed to the more realistic, sinister gang member/dog napper in Beverly Hills Chihuahua (BHC).
Just like in BHC, Marmaduke, our dog protagonist, is opposed by an aggressive and intimidating canine, Bosco (a Beauceron). Phil's internal arc is linked to Marmaduke's as they both make the mistake of becoming social climbers and turn their back on family and friends. In Phil's case, he comes up with an ad campaign involving a dog surfing contest, designed to attract Petco as a possible buyer of Bark Organic pet food. Phil becomes so involved in his job that he doesn't pay enough attention to his children.
Meanwhile, Marmaduke is trying to impress Bosco's girlfriend, a beautiful collie named Jezebel, by staging a fight with his cat friend, Carlos, at a dog park (George Lopez voices Carlos and also can be heard as a canine sidekick in BHC). Soon afterward, Marmaduke wins the dog surfing contest but alienates the Petco executives when he gets into a fight with Bosco.
Things only get worse for the human and dog protagonists. Marmaduke's mixed breed friends which include Mazie (who jealously watches from afar when Marmaduke goes on a 'dream date' with Jezebel) Raisin, a brainy Dachshund with an English accent and Giuseppe, a fearful Chinese crested pooch, boycott the party he throws for the pedigree dogs from the dog park. After Bosco exposes the link between Carlos and Marmaduke, the uppity pedigree dogs led by Bosco, trash Phil's house and leave Marmaduke with a shattered ego. Crushed by the rejection by those who he considered his friends, Marmaduke runs off to the woods where he meets a dog in the wild, Chupadogra, an old English Mastiff who is reputed to have killed his owner.
Chupadogra reinforces the theme of the movie: never judge a book by its cover. Chupadogra, in actuality, was the leader of a pack of strays who abandoned him. He's not as scary once you get to know him and ends up saving Marmaduke by chasing off a rather unpleasant dog catcher. Meanwhile, Phil returns from his work/vacation and promptly drops his laptop in the backyard pool which contains his final ad campaign to woo Petco.
Phil finally realizes that he has betrayed his values and tells Don he can't attend the big meeting with Petco since he has to find the lost Marmaduke. In a dramatic denouement, Phil saves Marmaduke from drowning after he falls into a rainwater conduit and is swept away by raging waters. Marmaduke too sees the light by returning to the dog park, speaks out against prejudice (he argues mixed breeds are just as good as pedigrees) and wins over all the dogs, except for Bosco who exits, vowing revenge.
Unlike BHC, where I was laughing out loud at some of the jokes, 'Marmaduke' will not have you rolling on the floor. A lot of the jokes are pretty corny (especially the bit about Marmaduke farting). Nonetheless, at its core, 'Marmaduke' has a positive message in its rejection of careerism and the need for tolerance between people who come from diverse backgrounds.
Just like in BHC, Marmaduke, our dog protagonist, is opposed by an aggressive and intimidating canine, Bosco (a Beauceron). Phil's internal arc is linked to Marmaduke's as they both make the mistake of becoming social climbers and turn their back on family and friends. In Phil's case, he comes up with an ad campaign involving a dog surfing contest, designed to attract Petco as a possible buyer of Bark Organic pet food. Phil becomes so involved in his job that he doesn't pay enough attention to his children.
Meanwhile, Marmaduke is trying to impress Bosco's girlfriend, a beautiful collie named Jezebel, by staging a fight with his cat friend, Carlos, at a dog park (George Lopez voices Carlos and also can be heard as a canine sidekick in BHC). Soon afterward, Marmaduke wins the dog surfing contest but alienates the Petco executives when he gets into a fight with Bosco.
Things only get worse for the human and dog protagonists. Marmaduke's mixed breed friends which include Mazie (who jealously watches from afar when Marmaduke goes on a 'dream date' with Jezebel) Raisin, a brainy Dachshund with an English accent and Giuseppe, a fearful Chinese crested pooch, boycott the party he throws for the pedigree dogs from the dog park. After Bosco exposes the link between Carlos and Marmaduke, the uppity pedigree dogs led by Bosco, trash Phil's house and leave Marmaduke with a shattered ego. Crushed by the rejection by those who he considered his friends, Marmaduke runs off to the woods where he meets a dog in the wild, Chupadogra, an old English Mastiff who is reputed to have killed his owner.
Chupadogra reinforces the theme of the movie: never judge a book by its cover. Chupadogra, in actuality, was the leader of a pack of strays who abandoned him. He's not as scary once you get to know him and ends up saving Marmaduke by chasing off a rather unpleasant dog catcher. Meanwhile, Phil returns from his work/vacation and promptly drops his laptop in the backyard pool which contains his final ad campaign to woo Petco.
Phil finally realizes that he has betrayed his values and tells Don he can't attend the big meeting with Petco since he has to find the lost Marmaduke. In a dramatic denouement, Phil saves Marmaduke from drowning after he falls into a rainwater conduit and is swept away by raging waters. Marmaduke too sees the light by returning to the dog park, speaks out against prejudice (he argues mixed breeds are just as good as pedigrees) and wins over all the dogs, except for Bosco who exits, vowing revenge.
Unlike BHC, where I was laughing out loud at some of the jokes, 'Marmaduke' will not have you rolling on the floor. A lot of the jokes are pretty corny (especially the bit about Marmaduke farting). Nonetheless, at its core, 'Marmaduke' has a positive message in its rejection of careerism and the need for tolerance between people who come from diverse backgrounds.
Ridiculously Predictable and Not at all Entertaining!
drewfp6 July 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Since this is a Kids movie I didn't expect it to be any good. and I was right. the CGI is obvious. the storyline has been used so many times in so many other movies. when i watched this, (against my will) i could tell exactly what was going to happen as the movie played. first there was an unhappy troublemaking dog who moves to a new town, meets a bunch of new friends and enemies. Thinks hes in love with a collie yet ends up being with the "best friend" and the enemies became friends and everyone lives happily ever after! WOW, this is like that dumb kids movie Max Keebles Big Move and every Disney channel original movie that there ever was. Marmaduke is just not worth your time or money or common sense so watch something else, something that doesn't have Owen Wilson in it
Great Family Movie
reinha0216 June 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Marmaduke is a great family movie for viewers of all ages. I went to see it with my 19 year old daughter and we both enjoyed it! Of course we are dog lovers and maybe a little biased.
The movie centers around Marmaduke and his human family, the Winslow's. The family is moving from Kansas to California for a job opportunity that Phil Winslow was presented with. Marmaduke struggles to make new friends and to find somewhere to fit in just as the two older Winslow children, Barbra and Brian, who encounter these very same issues. They all miss their old lives and friends back in Kansas but they eventually adjust and want to stay in their new home.
The filmmaker does a good job at portraying Marmaduke as human-like as possible and captures the typical mischievous Marmaduke that you would remember from the comic strip. He jumps out the bath tub flinging water throughout the house, drags Phil, eats food off the counter, has a party and trashes the house, chews up shoes, and farts in bed. All classic behavior for Marmaduke.
What I liked most was the human-like behavior that was displayed by the animals. Marmaduke's party has to be one of my favorite parts of the movie. There are dogs jumping off the roof into the pool, spraying silly string, and there is one dog sleeping on the front lawn. Typical teenage behavior. Another good scene is Marmaduke and Jezebel having a romantic evening at the junk yard. They are sitting on a blanket, sharing a jar of peanut butter and Marvin Gay's "Lets Get It On" is playing in the background. Hysterical! The dialog between the dogs is very cute and creative. There are many one-liner's that incorporate dog behavior and their likes and dislikes in some of their conversations. In one scene when Marmaduke is forced into a surfing competition he tries to calm himself by thinking happy thoughts of open meadows and peeing on everything. Typical dog behavior. There was also a scene when Mazie was showing him around the dog park and telling him about the various dog cliques. She described one group as rich snobs that think their fleas don't bite. Too funny! The overall animation of the film was pretty good and created a believable effect of animals taking to each other. However the scene at the end of the movie where the dogs are dancing in the park could have been a bit better to make their actions look less computer-generated. The movie Scooby Doo had similar issues. Regardless, I still love both movies.
The movie centers around Marmaduke and his human family, the Winslow's. The family is moving from Kansas to California for a job opportunity that Phil Winslow was presented with. Marmaduke struggles to make new friends and to find somewhere to fit in just as the two older Winslow children, Barbra and Brian, who encounter these very same issues. They all miss their old lives and friends back in Kansas but they eventually adjust and want to stay in their new home.
The filmmaker does a good job at portraying Marmaduke as human-like as possible and captures the typical mischievous Marmaduke that you would remember from the comic strip. He jumps out the bath tub flinging water throughout the house, drags Phil, eats food off the counter, has a party and trashes the house, chews up shoes, and farts in bed. All classic behavior for Marmaduke.
What I liked most was the human-like behavior that was displayed by the animals. Marmaduke's party has to be one of my favorite parts of the movie. There are dogs jumping off the roof into the pool, spraying silly string, and there is one dog sleeping on the front lawn. Typical teenage behavior. Another good scene is Marmaduke and Jezebel having a romantic evening at the junk yard. They are sitting on a blanket, sharing a jar of peanut butter and Marvin Gay's "Lets Get It On" is playing in the background. Hysterical! The dialog between the dogs is very cute and creative. There are many one-liner's that incorporate dog behavior and their likes and dislikes in some of their conversations. In one scene when Marmaduke is forced into a surfing competition he tries to calm himself by thinking happy thoughts of open meadows and peeing on everything. Typical dog behavior. There was also a scene when Mazie was showing him around the dog park and telling him about the various dog cliques. She described one group as rich snobs that think their fleas don't bite. Too funny! The overall animation of the film was pretty good and created a believable effect of animals taking to each other. However the scene at the end of the movie where the dogs are dancing in the park could have been a bit better to make their actions look less computer-generated. The movie Scooby Doo had similar issues. Regardless, I still love both movies.
Good kids' film
neil-47619 August 2010
Warning: Spoilers
For those who don't know, Marmaduke was originally a newspaper single panel cartoon strip involving the misadventures of an accident-prone Great Dane and his family. Translated to the big screen, this becomes a combination of live action, animatronics, puppetry, and CGI, with the animals talking to each other and Marmaduke himself (voiced by Owen Wilson) breaking the fourth wall by addressing the audience directly.
The story involves Marmaduke's family moving from Kansas to California, and Marmaduke becoming involved in a dog version of the new kid in school being seduced by the snobby clique and not recognising that his real friends are the uncool ones, We've seen it in a thousand teen comedies (Mean Girls leaps to mind), and it's a new wrinkle to see it applied to pedigree dogs vs. mutts, and the key element here is that the dogs mainly behave like people (although they also act like dogs when it suits the filmmakers).
There's also a subplot about Marmaduke's owner's difficulties in a new job and the kids' problems with fitting in.
This is a good kids' film. There's some decent slapstick, a couple of dog fart jokes, some excitement, and enough plot movement to hold the interest. The CGI is mostly well done, the voice talent is fine, the script is light and amusing, the moral lessons are delivered fairly subtly, but don't make the mistake of thinking this is a movie for adults: it isn't, and it will drive you wild wondering why everyone in California lets their animals to wander public places 24/7, and why Marmaduke's family has a permanently unlocked dog-door which is big enough to admit burglars!
The story involves Marmaduke's family moving from Kansas to California, and Marmaduke becoming involved in a dog version of the new kid in school being seduced by the snobby clique and not recognising that his real friends are the uncool ones, We've seen it in a thousand teen comedies (Mean Girls leaps to mind), and it's a new wrinkle to see it applied to pedigree dogs vs. mutts, and the key element here is that the dogs mainly behave like people (although they also act like dogs when it suits the filmmakers).
There's also a subplot about Marmaduke's owner's difficulties in a new job and the kids' problems with fitting in.
This is a good kids' film. There's some decent slapstick, a couple of dog fart jokes, some excitement, and enough plot movement to hold the interest. The CGI is mostly well done, the voice talent is fine, the script is light and amusing, the moral lessons are delivered fairly subtly, but don't make the mistake of thinking this is a movie for adults: it isn't, and it will drive you wild wondering why everyone in California lets their animals to wander public places 24/7, and why Marmaduke's family has a permanently unlocked dog-door which is big enough to admit burglars!
How you react to this will depend on how close to seven you are and how many talking animals films you've seen
dbborroughs27 July 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Classic comic strip where the lead character, the titled Great Dane, never speaks, is turned into yet another film where all of the animals in it talk to each other and the audience when ever the people in the film aren't around.
Its an innocuous film aimed at the under say seven set who will never realize that the film is playing for the preschool audience and not their parents; not to mention won't really mind that this is the umpteenth talking animals film to come out of Hollywood in the last five years.What are we getting two or three a year now and all of them are the same.
I didn't really hate it but at the same time I found it so juvenile that it was clear the film wasn't aimed at me.
Recommended for only really little kids.
Its an innocuous film aimed at the under say seven set who will never realize that the film is playing for the preschool audience and not their parents; not to mention won't really mind that this is the umpteenth talking animals film to come out of Hollywood in the last five years.What are we getting two or three a year now and all of them are the same.
I didn't really hate it but at the same time I found it so juvenile that it was clear the film wasn't aimed at me.
Recommended for only really little kids.
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