Marmaduke

Marmaduke is the adaptation to movies of the cartoon of the same name. The story is about a suburban family moves to a new neighborhood with their large yet lovable Great Dane, who has a tendency to wreak havoc in his own oblivious way. Marmaduke is mainly intended for little kids, some adults may enjoy it others might feel light a living hell. The movie has some funny moments and others are kinda foolish. The CGI to make the animals talk are nothing out of this world but decent enough. The story is a little predictable. The cast of voices are the best thing with Owen Wilson as Marmaduke, Fergie as Jezebel, Kiefer Sutherland as Bosco and George Lopez as Carlos. We also have Lee Pace and Judy Greer as Phil and Debbie Winslow, Marmaduke's owners and William H. Macy as Pace's boss. In conclusion, Kids will love Marmaduke and for one strange reason I enjoy it. So if you have children and a very big patience, take them to see this movie. If not well its your choice.

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.

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 . . .

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!

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