A Dog's Purpose was originally a movie I decided to randomly see at the cinema a few years ago and I had no idea what to expect. The movie managed to surprise me by hitting me on an emotional level and for a family movie it had
elements of darkness to it which I didn't expect, despite being a bit cheesy in places. The movie's main gimmick was a dog constantly reincarnating with a Dog POV commentary voiced by Josh Gad. The sequel to the movie A Dog's Journey
continues on from where A Dog's Purpose left off with Bailey living with owner Ethan and being set on a new goal to follow their granddaughter "CJ" through many different dog reincarnations after making a promise to Ethan to protect her.
If you've seen A Dog's Purpose, you know what to expect. Little quips/observations of what's on the dog's mind and of course the dog dying a few times. It can be a hard watch in parts, and as a dog person I had to hold off a bit in places. I've always liked Josh Gad's commentary (Much prefer him over Bryce Dallas Howard in A Dog's Way Home) and seeing the dog think differently to a human and making little jokes here and there. The movie has a bit of cheesiness to it and tonally it can be uplifting or a sudden downer out of nowhere. I like that though as life never plans out the way you expect and bad things can happen when you least expect it. The acting is a bit shaky in places, but for the most part the themes of growing up, trying different things, and seeing the observation and memories of the dog over the years keeps things engaging. It's a pretty straightforward movie, although I question whether it is a good watch for children or not understanding it all and seeing a dog die a few times.
So yeah, A Dog's Journey is basically A Dog's Purpose: Part 2. You know what you are getting yourself into. A movie that will try to emotionally get to you and not be afraid to show the darker side of owning a pet. It has lighter moments in-between though thanks to the Dog commentary. I probably still prefer the first one because I liked the pairing between the dog and Ethan from A Dog's Purpose. If anything, I'd say this one is an easier watch compared to A Dog's Purpose as there is less filler to it and the bleakness is slightly toned down in my opinion. The movie works better with people who like dogs or are dog owners, but if you're looking for a family movie, this is an okay choice in my book.
6/10
If you've seen A Dog's Purpose, you know what to expect. Little quips/observations of what's on the dog's mind and of course the dog dying a few times. It can be a hard watch in parts, and as a dog person I had to hold off a bit in places. I've always liked Josh Gad's commentary (Much prefer him over Bryce Dallas Howard in A Dog's Way Home) and seeing the dog think differently to a human and making little jokes here and there. The movie has a bit of cheesiness to it and tonally it can be uplifting or a sudden downer out of nowhere. I like that though as life never plans out the way you expect and bad things can happen when you least expect it. The acting is a bit shaky in places, but for the most part the themes of growing up, trying different things, and seeing the observation and memories of the dog over the years keeps things engaging. It's a pretty straightforward movie, although I question whether it is a good watch for children or not understanding it all and seeing a dog die a few times.
So yeah, A Dog's Journey is basically A Dog's Purpose: Part 2. You know what you are getting yourself into. A movie that will try to emotionally get to you and not be afraid to show the darker side of owning a pet. It has lighter moments in-between though thanks to the Dog commentary. I probably still prefer the first one because I liked the pairing between the dog and Ethan from A Dog's Purpose. If anything, I'd say this one is an easier watch compared to A Dog's Purpose as there is less filler to it and the bleakness is slightly toned down in my opinion. The movie works better with people who like dogs or are dog owners, but if you're looking for a family movie, this is an okay choice in my book.
6/10