Red Dog: True Blue

Starring Jason Isaacs, this is a neatly done prequel to the 2011 Australian hit canine comedy-drama Red Dog, inspired by Outback folklore

Starring Jason Isaacs, this is a neatly done prequel to the 2011 Australian hit canine comedy-drama Red Dog, inspired by Outback folklore.

Director Kriv Stenders and writer Daniel Taplitz’s film caftily opens with a cinema screening of the original movie in Perth in 2011.

This prompts Isaacs' workaholic dad to open up to his young son about his childhood experiences in late-1960s Western Australia.

Screen star Red was his dog, Blue, a stray puppy he discovered as a gawky city boy (Levi Miller) sent to live on the remote cattle station run by his gruff grandfather (Bryan Brown).

What ensues is sketch-like and episodic, with the mischief-making mutt and his human companion getting into all manner of scrapes and adventures on and around the station.

But Stenders holds this shaggy dog tale together with the odd touch of magic, while cinematographer Geoffrey Hall makes the blue skies and red earth glow.

This film premieres on Sunday 3 Decemeber.

TOPICS