Dog is a buddy comedy that follows the misadventures of two former Army Rangers paired against their will on the road trip of a lifetime. Army Ranger Briggs (Channing Tatum) and Lulu (a Belgian Malinois dog) buckle into a 1984 Ford Bronco and race down the Pacific Coast in hopes of making it to a fellow soldier’s funeral on time. Along the way, they’ll drive each other completely crazy, break a small handful of laws, narrowly evade death, and learn to let down their guards in order to have a fighting chance of finding happiness.

For in-depth thoughts on Dog, please see my colleague Dom Fisher’s review from its original theatrical release here.

Video Quality

Dog comes to Blu-Ray with a stunning 1080p transfer which really shows off the film perfectly. The aesthetic leans toward the warmer side of the spectrum which matches some of the locations that populate the film very nicely. The color palette is fairly neutral throughout most of the film, but there are the significant pops of color, such as certain elements of the environment and the clothes and production design. Black levels hold up well with no glaring instances of black crush present. Digital noise and banding present as only a very minor issue with this release. The amount of distinct clarity and detail present on this Blu-Ray is truly something to behold. Subtle details on faces are amazingly clear and fine texture such as facial hair holds up surprisingly well both in close-ups and long shots. This is a great presentation for a very visually polished film.

Audio Quality

This disc comes equipped with an incredibly effective DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio presentation that fully immerses you in this world. There are elements in this track that are truly enveloping while Briggs is on his journey. Sounds are appropriately rendered with precise directionality from the more kinetic scenes to the quieter dialogue-driven scenes filled with subtle inflections. The steady score brings a pleasant atmosphere to this film. Dialogue is presented perfectly clear without ever being overwhelmed by any of the competing sonic elements. The low end is engaged well as an extension of certain exciting elements. The sound design of this film is not the most intense, but the implementation of environmental sounds are executed very effectively. The mix here is very well done with nice engagement of all the channels, which makes this track more than satisfactory for fans of the film.

Special Features

Trailer: The two-and-a-half minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

Dog is the type of hilarious and feel-good film that easily could fall into the “cheesy” or eye-rolling territory that many manufactured studio films fall victim to these days. Yet, Channing Tatum and co-director Reid Carolin navigate this tonal tightrope quite capably as they deliver something genuinely moving and memorable. Having a lovable dog on screen is an easy cheat to win over audiences, but in this case the story justified the presence, and this dog is a star. It is so satisfying to see movies like this still being made and viewed by large audiences. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray featuring a terrific A/V presentation but next to nothing in the way of special features. This has the possibility of being rewatched frequently, so it is likely a safe bet to add to your collection. Recommended

Dog will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital on May 10, 2022.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.