Celebrate the Howl-idays with Clifford The Big Red Dog

Disclaimer: The Fandads were provided with a review code for Clifford: The Big Red Dog. All thoughts, opinions, and anxiety of owning a dog that big are our own.

UPDATED WITH GIVEAWAY!

I remember I used to watch the Clifford cartoon with my nephew many years ago, he’s in his 20s now and too cool for the show. When we would watch the show it was fun to see Clifford and his friends have daily adventures and help out the people in the neighborhood. At times I wondered what it would be like to see a “big red dog” in real life then I would think about the mess he would make and those ideas would leave my mind. Recently a live-action movie of Clifford has been released and it bought me back to that time with my nephew, except this time I watched it with my kids.

First off, this movie might not be for everyone. You have to look past some of the “cringy” CGI and dialogue that is in the movie. You have to take this movie for what it is: a fantasy movie about a young girl and the dog she finds that changes her outlook on life and brings together the neighborhood. This movie is primarily made for younger kids and it works on that level. If you go into this movie looking for something earthshattering, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.

Darby Camp stars in CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG from Paramount Pictures. Photo Credit: Courtesy Paramount Pictures.

With that said, this movie was fun. It played like an episode of the old cartoon with modern-day elements thrown in. While in the cartoon everyone knew who Clifford was the movie was a great way to see how people found out about him. Think of this as an origin story for Clifford. With all of the superhero movies coming out this is a great way to see this movie. We get to see how Clifford came to meet Emily and how he grew to be the size that he is.

The plot of the movie is very simple. Emily finds Clifford. She then tries to hide him from people. Zac Tieran (Tony Hale) sees Clifford on television and decides he is what they need for their company’s latest experiment. A chase begins to get Clifford and Emily must overcome some issues to save him. There is a lot more but you will have to see the movie to get the full story.

Final Thoughts: The movie has its fun moments and its OMG moments. It is great to see a movie that helps you forget about the craziness of the world and just escape into another one. You kids will love the zaniness and you will love the message that this movie provides.

Kid-Friendly: Yes! This movie is very kid-friendly.

Violence: There is really no violence except for a “fight” between the agents of LyfeGrow and Uncle Casey, Sanchez, and Raul.

When Emily discovers her little red puppy named Clifford has grown ten feet overnight, she turns to her eccentric Uncle Casey for help. But when a mad scientist tries to capture the larger-than-life playful pup, it takes the entire neighborhood to hide Clifford as they race across the city. Get ready for the incredible, laugh-out-loud comedy adventure that is BIG fun for the entire family!

The Digital* release of CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG features supersized and fun-filled bonus content, including a behind-the-scenes tour with the cast, a closer look at the puppeteers who helped bring Clifford to life, an exploration of Clifford’s beginning with creator Norman Bridwell, hilarious tips for caring for a giant dog, and deleted scenes not seen in theaters! Details on the bonus content are listed below.

CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG Digital* & Blu-ray Bonus Content

Part of the Pack— Get a behind-the-scenes look at Clifford’s big movie with interviews from cast and crew.

Acting is for the Dogs—There’s more to Clifford than meets the eye: meet the puppeteers who brought the giant red pup to life!

The Magic of Bridwell – See where Clifford’s big adventure began from creator Norman Bridwell’s early drawings for the beloved Scholastic book series to Clifford’s worldwide fame.