Most kids grow up with dog movies. In my time, it was Air Bud, Beethoven, and Homeward Bound. These stories all had basically the same storyline"¦ kid and dog bond, hijinks or drama ensues, and everyone is reunited and gets a happy ending.
White God reminds me of these movies, but for adults. From its opening scene of a girl on a bicycle being chased by a giant pack of dogs, it's clear that this will not be airing on ABC Family anytime soon. What begins as a story of a girl and her dog quickly evolves into something else entirely until becoming a harrowing yet satisfying revenge flick.
If nothing else, this film serves as a marvel of animal training. The leads of this film are Zsófia Psotta, who plays 13-year-old Lili, and the two dogs finish out the leading roles as they play Hagen, Lili's beloved mutt. It's impossible to nominate dogs as best actors, right? Well, if that were a thing then Hagen would sweep. We watch Hagen go from obstacle to obstacle and with great direction from Mundruczó and truly expressive dogs, we don't need subtitles or some ridiculous voiceover to know exactly what Hagen is feeling.
Working with animals is never easy, let alone trying to coordinate an entire horde of dogs. But the visuals it creates are visceral and stunning. Mundruczó's directing is phenomenal. The music weaves in and out of the storyline, uniting both and creating emotionally charged moments. Towards the end, the film turns into a sort of revenge of the dogs, which is simultaneously hilarious and satisfying until it grows dark and serious at the end.
White God may not have a golden retriever that can play basketball, but it is a sweeping and emotional film that manages to capture the magical relationship between humans and dogs.
