Max

Max very well might be this generation's Rin Tin Tin, both are German Shepherds and both are the heroes of their respective stories. The titular Max starts out as a military dog in Afghanistan, but when his military handler dies, he returns to the States with dog PTSD to be cared for by the handler's family in Texas, and in particular their teenage son, Justin, who Max bonds with. This is a classic boy and dog story with a military angle to it that helps to differentiate it from the rest of the pack, with Justin and Max eventually embarking upon an adventure of sorts that requires all of Max's incomparable skills to save the day. This is the kind of family movie that isn't made anymore, it's clean cut and old-fashioned, and while it has some plot holes, there aren't many movies that you can take the whole family to anymore and that's why Max is special.

I saw Max with my 10 year old sons. Absolutely awesome movie to see with your age 10 to 16 child. It is much more than a movie about a heroic dog. It is also a coming of age movie that has some deep dives into responsibility, relationships, and ethics. Oh, and it is a great adventure flick too.

The dog will hook your kids and get them past some early dialog. But once the movie gets going, hold onto your seats! Very exciting. Suffice it to say that the audience gave the movie a long round of applause as the credits rolled. And hopefully some of the life lessons will rub off on the kids...

Don't let those Rotten Tomato critics sway you. This was a great movie and I am an adult who is also a veteran and German Shepherd Dog owner. While I thought it was going to be more about the dog adapting to civilian life it was something a lot different. I still liked the story and action scenes with the dog. The storyline actually had me guessing which I like in a movie. Even though most of the main characters were kids, it took me back to my days as a kid and when I had my first dog. Anyway, this movie will hopefully show people that dogs are actually very smart creatures and how we as humans need to find the best ways in order to provide them homes and prevent unwanted litters of pups. My dogs have never failed me while people have so many times. It's just a good feel good movie that people need to take in once in awhile.

I liked part of it, and was disappointed with another aspect of it. I liked the dogs, the "name" actors, and the overall, one-paragraph story. I had trouble with the script, the execution of the story, and some of the minor character actors.

I was also nervous about seeing a corny, ultra-patriotic political war message. That was surprisingly absent. Handled with subtlety, it was in very good taste. I was also nervous about the prospect of an overly sentimental dog story, one that might even be maudlin. tear-jerker (Sad is OK, but intentionally "pushing buttons" over and over just to create melodrama is tiresome). Needn't have worried - it was handled with a deft touch - subtle, yet moving. Good job with that.

The problem I had was the script, and thus the movement of the plot. It felt like some pieces were missing, somehow. Not fluid, not smooth. It was clunky and a bit clumsy - like a hastily made afternoon TV movie.

The girl, Carmen, was actually the best all-round kid here. Good actor - I totally bought her emotions, her dog training skills, and her overall motivations. The curl-haired guy, Chuy, was so annoying as a character - I couldn't tell if I was disliking the kid or the character. I suspect it was the character (so maybe that was good acting? Dunno).

I am a university teacher, and in my line of work this story would be great, but again, the script itself came off as a rough draft. A few more rewrites and 6 months of polishing would have made a big difference.

All in all - not bad. Probably family friendly, from 8 years old and up.

Going into view the movie, I had low expectations. I thought it was just going to be another boring kiddie movie. Boy, was I wrong!! This movie is action packed and intense. It kept me on the very edge of my seat the whole duration. There is some serious suspense to say the least. Not only that, but it's a real tear jerker. Good luck getting through this movie without becoming teary eyed at least once. I ended up falling in love with the dog Max and admired his loyalty toward his family. It really portrays how dogs are wonderful creatures at heart and brilliant judges of character. It's funny how one dog can make such a great impact. If you love dogs, warmhearted family stories, and tales of heroism then don't miss out on this one!