1 of 2

Benji: Off the Leash! Our rating: Rate this movie   MPAA rating: PG (for thematic elements and some mild language) Theater release: August 20, 2004 by Mulberry Square Releasing Directed by: Joe Camp Runtime: 1 hour 40 minutes Cast: Chris Kendrick (Hatchett), Christy Summerhays (Mom), Nick Whitaker (Colby), Randall Newsome (Livingston), Duane Stephens (Sheldon), Nate Bynum (Sheriff Ozzie) Related: Talk About It/Family Corner

After the dust settled, the original Benji (1974) made nearly $40 million in domestic sales—a large haul for an independent production, even by today's standards. The Benji sequels—in theaters and on TV—were also produced independently. And now, staying true to his independent roots, Joe Camp, creator of the Benji franchise, has written, produced, and directed Benji: Off the Leash!, a new dog adventure that reiterates Camp's unshakable commitment to family entertainment. While the film—the first new Benji movie in almost two decades—won't necessarily bring in mobs of older teens or young adults, parents now have another fun and fairly safe film to watch with their kids.

And, seriously, who can resist Benji's big brown eyes?

Colby (Nick Whitaker) and Benji, showin' some luv

Since Camp found the first Benji at an animal shelter (which subsequently prompted over one million animal adoptions), he decided to find his new star at a shelter as well. He finally found her—yes, this Benji's a her)—in a small Mississippi town, and she's a beauty. Another finalist named Shaggy, from Chicago, had such a rambunctious personality that Camp couldn't help but create a part in the film for him, too. With his two animal leads in place, Camp then rounded out his cast with human actors from Utah, where the film was shot.

Off the Leash! follows the traditional Benji formula: persistent hero dog saves the day, person(s), and/or animal(s). This version brings a slight twist to this age-old story: As the opening credits fade in and out, actors in the form of newscasters from around the U.S. discuss Joe Camp's search for the newest Benji. While Camp incorporates the nationwide dog hunt as his backdrop for the film, it's not clear that this premise runs throughout the film—that's it's actually about the search for a new Benji.

Benji and Lizard Tongue are on a mission

In Off the Leash!, young Colby (Nick Whitaker) has a mean-spirited stepfather named Hatchett (Chris Kendrick), an abusive dog breeder and an abusive husband to Colby's mother (Christine Summerhays). Colby wishes his mother would leave Hatchett because, "You don't treat folks you love the way that he treats us." As for the dog aspect of the movie, one of Hatchett's prime breeders, Daisy, gives birth to a mutt that Colby affectionately calls Puppy (who grows up to be, you guessed it, Benji). When Hatchett discovers that Puppy's a mutt, he disowns the pup and leaves him to die in an abandoned house. Colby, however, bonds with the dog and, together, they work through several problems: reuniting Puppy with Daisy, saving the sickly Daisy, and finding peace for Colby and his mom.

The film offers a couple of subplots, one of which you'll definitely enjoy. Lizard Tongue (played by a dog named Shaggy) gets the boot from his owner's moving car and winds up in a slapstick comedy chase throughout the film. His pursuers, Sheldon (Duane Stephens) and Livingston (Randall Newsome), are Laurel-and-Hardy-esque patrolmen from the animal shelter. Somehow, Lizard Tongue always gets the last laugh, causing the men to do silly things such as fall face-first into mud. And, Lizard Tongue may be one of the most charismatic and funny-looking dogs you've seen in a while.

The hapless dog catchers

Similar to his other Benji projects, Camp wanted to maintain creative control over Off the Leash! so he could ensure the inclusion of themes important to him. Off the Leash! presents us with themes such as friendship, overcoming obstacles, and good over evil. Within these themes, Camp also presents a deeply spiritual film in the form of difficult situations. Colby and Puppy face several obstacles throughout the movie: domestic violence, animal cruelty, and negligence. Camp doesn't spare us pain, either. The audience feels a deep connection with the victims of violence, and we cheer on the friendship between a boy and his dog. At times, it may seem that Off the Leash! can't be a "Christian film" because of its audacity to display real people and to confront violent behavior. But, that's what Camp's about—his faith completely informs his films, and his compassion for those in trouble is quite evident.

next page... |  1 of 2 | last page

Related Elsewhere:

Benji's Back!	Printer view
Joe Camp, creator of the Benji films, brings the beloved pup back to the big screen after 17 years. He tells us all about it—and how his faith played a part in the process.