Matcollis This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.

BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment

Stephan Hammond It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Philippa All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Scarecrow-88 From the "killer canine cannon" comes this mediocre horror outing, Man's Best Friend, regarding a genetically enhanced mutt with DNA of many dangerous animals injected into it making the dog particularly lethal towards those that tick it off. A journalist looking for her big break, is invited by a nervous employee at a scientific institute run by Dr. Jarret(Lance Henriksen)to peek inside the corrupt practices regarding the horrifying mistreatment on animal test subjects. This employee is attacked and killed by the powerful and unpredictable canine, Max 3000, who has been supplied a drug suppressing it's violent tendencies, but thanks in part to snooping kind-hearted journalist, Lori Tanner(Ally Sheedy, just adorable in the movie), it is released from the institute and Jarret is unable to coerce it back into the cage. Hopping into Lori's vehicle, Max will soon infiltrate her life, their bond keeping her temporarily alive as it poses a threat to suburbia and everything within it. Lori's beau, Perry(Fredric Lehne)doesn't find Max very comforting, particularly due to the canine's jealousy of anyone coming between dog and owner. Meanwhile, a very worried Jarret, who knows that the drug he administered to the dog will only last for a certain amount of time, confides reluctantly with police detectives in finding Max before it loses control and becomes completely volatile towards everyone/everything in it's path.I imagine writer/director John Lafia had a field day coming up with ideas regarding Max and the damage he could inflict on people and animals. It actually climbs a tree after a cat and eats it. It can actually adapt to it's environment and blend in like a chameleon, doing so and frightening a couple of goofy dog-catchers away. After being sprayed in the eyes with pepper spray, Max actually hunts down and bites into the ankle and throat of a postal worker who had delivered mail to a home. A sadistic mechanic(..played by the surprisingly imposing William Sanderson, who rarely acts so cruel)assaults Max with a shovel across the head, even taking to it's face with a lit blow torch, before the canine clamps down ferociously onto his crotch! Max pisses acid into the face of a victim it doesn't like, and pretty much sexually molests a collie who attempts futilely to escape from the canine. Even an insulting parrot(..actually taught such naughty, inflammatory words by a neighborhood kid)makes the wrong gesture towards Max, getting eaten! I think Lafia, though, establishes right away that Max is a product of man's own engineering..it would in all likelihood be a very hospitable and loving pooch if Jarret hadn't injected the DNA of a rattlesnake and tiger into it. And, we are privy to what Jarret does to his animal test subjects with the footage recorded by Lori and her camerawoman, Annie(Trula M Marcus), so Max is a victim of unhealthy scientific experimentation. Henriksen, as Jarret, is often presented as desperate and scared, sweating and always urgent because he know what kind of killing machine has been released on the city. His whole career and well-being is centered on Max's protection and capture. Like many films of this nature in the 90's, punches are pulled(..we don't even get to see how Max killed a despicable thief who attempts to mug Lori's purse), with the scenes where Max attacks animals and humans not that gory as the camera immediately pulls away as it bites down or inflicts harm. This kind of film would probably be rated PG-13 and transition easily to cable television. Certainly maintains the Hollywood polish, often featuring cute comic scenes concerning Max's behavior within a normal suburban environment(..and it's reactions towards people and situations) where it doesn't truly belong.

Will Carroll (ElvesBrew) This is one of those movies that can entertain you as long as you don't get too critical. The basic premise of the story line is a good one but as with many low budget Sci-Fi films there are flaws in the telling.The biggest flaw is in the title itself. Being as this dog befriends Ally Sheedy's character and basically snarls at all the men it come across the film probably should have been called "Woman's Best Friend" or better yet "M.A.X.".Other than the title though the movie is basically a good film and you have to get pretty picky to find any real problems with it. It's not a great movie but it has some good scares, moments of comic relief, and some cool special effects.I don't know why this film has gotten such a low over-all rating. I know that IMDb ratings tend to average a bit on the low side but still this movie deserves a lot better than a 4.4. I have given the film a 7 and feel this movie is good enough to add to any one's DVD library if found at budget prices.Definitely worth a rental if you haven't already seen it.EB

callanvass okay horror flick but nothing special that could have been a lot better if it wasn't for the uneven pacing and bland dog attacks the script isn't bad and it has some decent ideas but it' just isn't that thrilling. The acting is good Ally Sheedy is excellent here she's cute vulnerable and looks great with tears in her eyes Lance Henriksen is his usual solid self and delivers a good performance still i wish he would pick better projects Robert Costanzo is a disgrace to the acting profession (in my opinion) and i just wanted to beat him! Fredric Lehne is annoying and amusing at the same time he has his moments but he is off and on there SPOILERS!!!!! is a funny moment when the dog puts the steak tar tar in the toilet and flushes it overall nothing special what so ever only worth a watch if your really bored ** out of 5

dtucker86 I remember there was a huge advertising blitz when this film his theaters in the fall of 1993. They tried to make it out like it was the most terrifying American horror movie since The Exorcist. I saw an edited version on tv and rented the video last night. Its an enjoyable film, but it really isn't scary at all! In fact its unintentionally funny in many places, especially with the dumb cops trying to find this killer dog. The two kids in this film are really cute, especially the one who teaches the parrot to curse. Lance Henricksen is a fine character actor (he was the villian in Johnny Handsome and a wonderful Abraham Lincoln in The Day Lincoln Was Shot), he plays a stereotypical "mad scientist" and does a wonderfully hammy job. Ally Sheedy is no Katherine Hepburn, but I think she is a much better actress then given credit for. She was unfairly stereotyped as a "Brat Packer". She gives a good performance in this film as an airhead reporter who breaks out this killer dog. My favorite scene is the one where the dog chases that cat and swallows it whole, I love the expression on the kid's faces! There is also a funny scene where the dog sees an attractive female dog and-well watch the film and see. What makes this a better film is the fact the director does not use a lot of gory special effects, I wish a lot of these slasher film makers would take heed. A lot of the PETA crowd will probably be offended by this film, but its a nice way to waste 90 minutes. By the way, I knew before I even saw this film that they would HAVE to include a scene involving a very unlucky mail carrier and they do.