Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank (2022 | USA | 97 minutes | Mark Koetsier, Chris Bailey, Rob Minkoff)
It’s hard (at least for me) to not have at least a little bit of sympathy for anyone trying to release a movie aimed at children at the same time the advertising budget for a new Minions movie has so far exceeded all of the available TV time that they created a special obstacle on “American Ninja Warrior” for the inescapable, little, yellow characters.
Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank has better-than-even odds of being forgotten or missed in the Minions’ shock and awe campaign through popular culture. What happens to a movie at the box office is neither my concern nor problem, but there was a lot I really enjoyed about Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank and I think other people might enjoy it on the same level as I did.
This movie is about a dog, Hank (voiced by Michael Cera), who is the only dog in a land of cats. He becomes a pawn for the villain Ika Chu (voiced by Ricky Gervais) and sent to be a town’s samurai, with Ika Chu’s plan to wipe that town from the map (and his view). It’s a mission he’s expected to fail. What I slowly realized is that this movie is a sort of retelling of Blazing Saddles done as an animated feature for children.
It wasn’t something my brain could compute even though Mel Brooks gave voice to the Shogun (and serves as an executive producer). He’s ninety-six years old so I’ll take any chance I can get to watch (or hear) him make me laugh. It wasn’t until an homage to Blazing Saddles’s most famous scene late in the film that I connected the dots mentally. But I’m glad I did because I enjoyed this movie exponentially more when I discovered the filmmakers’ intention. Moreover, regular readers of this space should know that I’m not above laughing at stupid things.
The cast of actors who lent their voices to this animated film is particularly impressive. Along with Cera, Gervais, and Brooks, you’ll also hear Samuel L. Jackson, Aasif Mandvi, Djimon Hounsou, and the newly but gloriously ubiquitous Michelle Yeoh.
The story is predictable with the usual messages about the power of being different and earning trust and all of that usual stuff. It is also consistently silly but has a surprisingly high batting average of jokes that land.
Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank was a surprisingly enjoyable trip to the cineplex and it exceeded my admittedly low expectations. Of all of the films I’ve seen and enjoyed, Blazing Saddles would be one I’d least likely expect to be adapted (very loosely) into a computer-animated film aimed at children. But here we are. Now can someone try this for The Producers?
Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank opens in theaters on Friday, July 15.
(Photo from Paramount Pictures)