Christian Family Movie Review: Dog Man
3/6/2025
Released at the end of January 2025, the DreamWorks Animation's Dog Man movie is already considered a hit. The animated action-comedy opened with $36 million domestically against a reported $40 million budget. Five weeks later, it had grossed $113.1 million worldwide, surpassing expectations for a January release, which is typically a slower period for theaters. Dog Man has also received positive reviews, debuting with a 76% score on Rotten Tomatoes, which later rose to 78% from critics and an 86% audience score.
What is the new Dog Man Movie About?
Dog Man (not to be confused with 2023’s R-rated French action-thriller, Dogman, by Luc Besson) is a spin-off within the Captain Underpants universe, based on Dav Pilkey’s popular Dog Man graphic novel series. The film features a star-studded voice cast that includes Pete Davidson, Lil Rel Howery, Isla Fisher, Poppy Liu, Stephen Root, Billy Boyd, and Ricky Gervais.
The Dog Man movie follows the origin story of a half-dog, half-human hero (voiced by director Peter Hastings himself): When Officer Knight, a dedicated policeman, and his loyal police dog, Greg, are gravely injured by a bomb set by the villainous Petey the Cat, a wild surgical procedure fuses Greg’s head onto Knight’s body, creating a hybrid hero sworn to protect and serve the citizens of OhKay City (while mastering commands like fetch, sit, and roll over).
The plot revolves around Dog Man’s rivalry with Petey, a feline supervillain voiced by Pete Davidson. Petey, in an effort to expand his criminal schemes, clones himself, creating the kitten sidekick “Lil Petey.” But Lil Petey unexpectedly bonds with Dog Man, so when a mutual enemy threatens the kitten, Dog Man and Petey face the prospect of an unlikely alliance to rescue Lil Petey.
It's ridiculous, yes. But the story, drawn from several books in the Pilkey series, wraps that absurdity around emotional, heartfelt moments. The result is a story that feels as though it were crafted by an imaginative child—perfect for its target audience.
Is Any of the Dog Man Movie Inappropriate for Children?
Dog Man is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association (MPAA) for “some action and rude humor,” which aligns with the tone of Pilkey’s books—known for their playful irreverence. The film’s “violence” (after all, the concept of a dog’s head sewn onto a human body is kinda gruesome) is all portrayed in cartoonish and comedic ways. Language-wise, there are some mild terms such as “jeez” or “this sucks,” along with a G-rated riff on Die Hard’s famous line (“Flippy ki yay, flippy floppers”) but there’s no outright profanity. And, as is typical of children’s comedy these days, the film includes fart jokes and potty humor, but they’re par for the course.
Is Dog Man Likely to Be Acceptable to Christian Families?
Dog Man’s box office success suggests a resonance with family audiences, and though some parents might be tempted to roll their eyes at the silliness of it all, Christian parents may be pleasantly surprised by the film’s positive themes and minimal objectionable content. For example, Dog Man celebrates friendship, teamwork, and selflessness as Dog Man’s “unicorns, rainbows, and lollipops” optimism collides with Petey’s cynicism, producing a partnership that triumphs over evil. The story arc of Petey’s transformation from villain to caring father illustrates the redemptive power of forgiveness and second chances. And the movie even honors family bonds, with Dog Man and Petey growing through their care for Lil Petey.
Finally, Dog Man presents some good opportunities for fruitful discussions between parents and kids on such topics as loneliness, friendship, forgiveness, and second chances.
Dog Man became available to stream online (on Apple TV, Google Play, and other services) in late February 2025.
Dog Man Isn’t the Only Redemptive Story Featuring a “Hybrid” Character
The premise of a policeman’s body and a police dog’s head being fused together is silly, of course. But the young characters who populate the RhymVerse in the TruPlay Games app feature hybrid characteristics–but with a purpose. For example, Maple is a young bunny who wants others to see her as “strong and courageous,” so she wears a tiger costume and calls herself a “tiger bunny.” Benjamin the wolverine wears a hockey helmet and gloves that look like a polar bear because he is a force to be reckoned with. Lucas may be just a small skunk, but because he is also highly sensitive to his surroundings and to the mockery of others, he wears a crocodile robot costume that he built himself. And the other RhymSquad characters– Oliver, Isabella, Ava, and Noah–similarly sport enhancements that reflect their hopes and dreams.
The TruPlay app includes numerous games, videos, and comics that feature the delightful RhymVerse characters at varying levels of spiritual growth and Christian commitment–and more. The app–sometimes referred to as “the Netflix of Christian mobile games”–offers top-quality gaming, reading, and viewing, all of which honor, reinforce, and even instill biblical values. It’s a safe, high-quality entertainment environment that offers countless hours of engaging fun for children, youth, and adults—a Christian resource for all ages, but especially for children.
TruPlay's website (TruPlayGames.com) clearly details the app's offerings, and free downloads and trials are available in both the Apple App Store and GooglePlay. Explore the following links to unlock a safer gaming experience for your kids: