White God (2014)

Great movies are so for various reasons; some have wonderful acting, others amazing visuals, a compelling story, or all of the above. Then there are those films that are great just for the sheer amount of effort it took to make them. While watching White God you cannot help but marvel at what it must have taken to shoot this film. By casting unique stars, it breaks all the rules. The old Hollywood saying is to never work with children or animals; it only invites disaster. White God not only dared to work with numerous dogs, but features one as a main protagonist who goes on his own emotional trip separate from his human companions. That journey is just as worthy and emotive as many descent into madness and revenge tales with traditional actors.

This Hungarian film follows the not-so-incredible journey of Hagen (Bodie and Luke), a mixed-breed dog, and his young, loving owner Lili (Zsófia Psotta). The girl is sent to stay with her father when her mother leaves for three months, and she brings her dog, much to her father’s dismay. A nosy neighbor lies to animal control saying that the unregistered mix-breed bit her. Lili is given the choice of sending Hagen to the pound, or turning him loose on the streets. Fearing her friend’s certain death, she opts to let him go. Lili frequently searches for the dog, while trying to carry on with her young life; for her, Hagen’s abandonment is part of growing up. Without a family, Hagen’s story then turns to one of sadness, hunger, abuse, drugs, imprisonment, and ultimately murder. Tales of abuse are all too common, but never has it been so expertly expressed from a dog’s perspective.

The film does have a few issues. Tighter editing could have prevented some of the drag in the middle of the movie. It probably could have gone with a little less human story (which is the less interesting portion). Towards the end of the film, as it turns from drama to thriller, the once powerful message gets a bit murky. However, the final sequence is what you are waiting for; over 250 fellow mix-breed dogs (no CGI) gathered in an organized pack join Hagen on his quest for revenge against all those who are responsible for his degradation.

While animal lovers will no doubt be attracted to this film for the clear anti-cruelty message (and the fact that the pack were shelter dogs given homes after production), the overarching allegory runs much deeper. It is a movie about the oppressed, marginalized minorities, and what desperation and abuse can do to good people (and dogs). Hagen is foreign and “impure;” because he is not of Hungarian descent the government requires him to be registered and for his humans to pay fines in just to live with his family. The film’s symbolism of mistrust and abuse of immigrants by governments, which eventually leads to an uprising, should have delivered a potent emotional punch; unfortunately, the film falls flat because of ambiguous storytelling. Although more focus should have been spent on the marginalized, White God is ambitious in its attempt to address topical, international problems using canine actors.

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