Review of Snow Dogs (2002) by Dawdlingpoet — 23 Nov 2021

This is a pretty typical Disney movie that I'd imagine most young kids would enjoy. Its not offensive and it has alot of visual/slapstick comedy courtesy of Cuba Gooding Jnr, who plays quite a comical role, with exaggerated facial expressions and at times the film really did seem like a comic strip on film, almost.

The main difference with this movie, compared to the Disney movies that captured my imagination in my childhood in the early 90s, is the advanced CGI/puppetry used to bring the huskey dogs alive. Of course there was some CGI in the early 90s but not quite as advanced as this and I thought that it did really add to the movie, the dogs seemed very emotive and animated, in both a realistic (in that it really seemed like they were doing what they were doing) and funny way. Examples would include the more rebellious, rough and tumble huskey called Demon gritting its teeth and growling quite convincingly (though it isnt real) and other huskeys blinking into the camera and making other facial expressions (wide grins etc.) again in a very convincing and fun way, that brings them to life more and I'm sure that kids will love this aspect of the film.

As well as the comedic side and the huskeys, what makes this typically Disney? well there's the story, which felt quite a 'Disney' sort of a story, if that makes any sense(?), its quite sentimental at the very end and its quite 'feel good' of course. I do feel that it offers a moral somewhere and its perfectly suitable family, or more kids, viewing.

It may be somewhat predictable at the end and too childishly slapstick or cheesy for some older viewers but its a movie that most children I would presume would enjoy, which is about all that matters really, at the end of the day, given the type of movie it is, I reckon.

I'm not sure there's much else I can say aout it really, though I believe a sequel has been made but it was a straight to video (or more straight to DVD nowadays) movie and it, as alot of sequels are, isn't half as good as this original movie, from what I've heard anyway. Thats likely because they didn't have the same high budget to use such good CGI/puppetry.

Yes I'd recommend it - for a kids movie its pretty good. Kids should find it fairly funny, if not rather corny at times and its good enough as a Disney movie. Younger kids should enjoy it, it has a nice ending and of course its not at all offensive, so as a kids movie its fine pretty mych and thus I would recommend it, for that audience.