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.
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.