Max 2015

Christy Lemire, ChristyLemire.com: Max is an absurdly violent PG-rated movie in which kids and dogs are repeatedly in peril. Read more

Lou Lumenick, New York Post: The Belgian malinoises who play Max way out-act the humans. Read more

Geoff Berkshire, Variety: "Max" isn't going to be a career high for any of its human participants, but the six canines playing Max ... aren't likely to find a better cinematic showcase any time soon. Read more

Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, AV Club: Like some toxic-sludge mutant grown in the racks of a mom-and-pop video store, Max crosses alarmist plotting with canine hijinks and hamfisted family drama that would feel at home in the era of the white clamshell VHS case. Read more

Barbara VanDenburgh, Arizona Republic: It's the Walmart of feel-good family films: accessible, cheaply made, useful in a pinch and full of American flags. Read more

Jocelyn Noveck, Associated Press: It's like they invited the Coen brothers - or maybe Quentin Tarantino - to script a few scenes of a "Dora the Explorer" episode. Read more

Jason Clark, Entertainment Weekly: The movie is downright laughable when it isn't merely unpleasant. Read more

Sheri Linden, Hollywood Reporter: Though the lead performance would do Lassie and Rin Tin Tin proud, the increasingly ludicrous, cliche-packed plot generates not an ounce of suspense. Read more

Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times: It might seem as though "Max" got its premise from heartstring-tugging YouTube videos of dogs at Army funerals, but the film is better than one might assume. Read more

Rafer Guzman, Newsday: "Max" can be corny, but writer-director Boaz Yakin makes it mostly work. Read more

Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger: Don't you sometimes want Cheetos? Well, "Max" is like a big bowl of them, with a dog to share them with. Who's such a good boy. Such a good boy. Read more

Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: Dullness, as well as hoary preachiness, neuters the family-and-their-war-dog drama "Max." Read more

A.O. Scott, New York Times: Mr. Yakin opts for bullets, explosions and blood vengeance when handcuffs and perp walks would do the job. Not that "Max" has any clear or coherent sense of mission. Read more

Molly Eichel, Philadelphia Inquirer: When the films sticks with heart-tugging soldier stuff, it's not bad. When it goes beyond that premise, it becomes so entirely outlandish that it's not enjoyable anymore. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: It counterbalances sentimentality with a dose of cynicism and, although the film's second half is considerably weaker than the first hour, it offers better entertainment than several big budget films clogging multiplex auditoriums. Read more

Walter V. Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle: This is a melodrama that aims to uphold traditional values, and it's effective in playing to the viewer's emotions. Read more

Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: As a bite-size lesson in loyalty and courage, it's a nice alternative to the too-many movies about a dog-eat-dog world. Read more

Manori Ravindran, Globe and Mail: Yakin doesn't condescend to his audience, and infuses his plot with a surprisingly ambitious and revealing commentary about the experience of war. Read more

Linda Barnard, Toronto Star: If only Max had played fetch with a better and less manipulative story. Read more

Inkoo Kang, TheWrap: Preposterous yet predictable... this dutifully educational children's story looks and feels like a Disney Channel movie. Read more

Tom Huddleston, Time Out: Not as flag-wavingly cheesy as it might have been - but that doesn't make it a good film. Read more

Bruce Kirkland, Toronto Sun: Love the dog, hate the people. Read more

Danny King, Village Voice: Yakin executes the touching material with the expected serviceability. Read more

Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post: "Max" gets its job done, which is to celebrate the sacrifices of military dogs, while warming the cockles of your heart. Sugary though it may be, the movie is a spirited return to the values of 1950s Hollywood. Read more

Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: This fine and welcome piece of family entertainment ... gets to a sweet spot by way of a smart premise, patriotic undertones and a coming-of-age story that's downright stirring. Read more