I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

"Man's Best Friend" becomes woman's best friend after a nosy reporter (Ally Sheedy) rescues a Tibetan Mastiff named Max from an experimental lab. Max proves to be both fierce and fiercely loyal, attacking muggers and jagoff boyfriends alike. But Max's owner (a bleach-blonde, denim-clad Lance Henriksen) knows his full potential and will do anything to put the canine killer down before he sets him aim higher than neighborhood cats, postmen and snotty paperboys.The film never takes itself seriously enough to be effective, which is a shame, given how even a film like "Cujo" -- for all of its faults -- managed to milk some tension and tragedy from its dog- gone-bad plot. Unlike the rabid titular star of said film, "Best Friend" Max is a genetically engineered super-dog, meaning logic is left off the table and anything is possible. A particularly memorable scene involves the killer canine chasing a scared cat up a tree, only to climb the tree himself and devour the critter whole. Moments like this are undercut by a corny score that makes light of any situation that may come across as terrifying. Reagardless, there's enough good fun to be had in watching this peeved puppy play. The special effects are quite remarkable and Sheedy in particular has a magnetic charm that keeps the film going even through its limper points.All in all, "Man's Best Friend" is a pleasant enough creature feature and a fine way to pass an hour and a half. Director John Lafia, who directed "Child's Play 2," knows a thing or two about bringing the absurd to life, and this dog is very much of the same silly but ultimately fun breed. In the end, the film never aims higher than simple b-movie entertainment and like most studio horror of the early '90s, this dog feels neutered and could have benefited from being let off the leash a little bit more.

This is a silly and nonsensical monster movie which mixes sci-fi elements in with plenty of tired and predictable clichés, rounded off by an unbelievable plot which bears little resemblance to real life. The intriguing possibilities of a killer dog movie are quickly dissipated when you realise that this is a family-orientated movie, complete with lame jokes and so much sweet talk and sentimentality that it'll make you physically sick (it certainly made ME sick). After the initial set-up, the film is merely content to go through the paces, introducing one-dimensional characters who are set up just to be killed off.The many death scenes in this film are generally off screen and not very gory, although some of them will make you jump. Sadly they're shot in such a slick way that any suspense or terror emanating from them is destroyed, as they just look too unrealistic. There are so many plot discrepancies that it's impossible to list all of them, plot twists are based on contrivances and you begin to wonder if the story was written by a child.The acting - well, if you can call it acting - from Ally Sheedy as the film's lead is terrible, her character a simpering idiot who fails to see what's going on right in front of her eyes. Incredibly, Sheedy continues to love the killer dog despite the fact that its eaten a cat whole, mutilated her boyfriend (via acid urine, go figure) and devoured half of the minor cast. The ever-reliable Lance Henriksen is on hand as a cruel scientist, and incredibly he's vilified as the film's chief villain - even though his only sin is to try and get his own property back! This is definitely a movie that makes no secret of its distaste for animal experimentation, as you get the morals shoved down your throat at every opportunity, the intelligent character Henriksen plays a mean-spirited and bad, bad person - despite the fact that he himself mentions that his research is being carried out for the good of mankind! Elsewhere, familiar faces like that of Robert Costanzo pop up but fail to make much of an impact, although I did like William Sanderson's bastard scrapyard owner whose first action upon receiving the dog is to club it with a spade! Whilst the first half of this film is schmaltzy, feel good stuff - you could be forgiven for thinking that you're watching BEETHOVEN, actually - packed with silly humour and obnoxious characters, the second half - a violent string of brutal murders - sits oddly with the beginning. Indeed some of this film's scenes border on the deeply unpleasant, like one character burning the dog's face with a blow torch as he is attacked! It's not really necessary, just a reason to give the dog an ugly look to make it more frightening. It's not. Kevin Yagher's usually reliable special effects work are also below par, the animatronics instantly recognisable from the real dog(s) used.The final insult comes at the end of this movie. What an infantile, stupid, moronic way to end the film. Aside from the incidental pleasure of watching a dog rip a postman to shreds, MAN'S BEST FRIEND is an appalling and ugly film to watch, one that offended me deeply.

Ambitious television reporter Ally Sheedy (spunky and looking terrific) does an unauthorized news piece on lab-animal conditions, inadvertently freeing a seemingly lovable mutt who is actually a ticking time bomb with a wagging tail! Critically-drubbed film (Entertainment Weekly still takes potshots at it) plays like a Disney movie on acid. It has a few gory scenes, but is actually a lot of fun. The script, while nothing spectacular, is quite sharp and morbidly funny, and the performances by Sheedy and Lance Henriksen are very good. A keen, entertaining sleeper which could become a cult item. **1/2 from ****

This is one of those movies that can entertain you as long as you don't get too critical. The basic premise of the story line is a good one but as with many low budget Sci-Fi films there are flaws in the telling.The biggest flaw is in the title itself. Being as this dog befriends Ally Sheedy's character and basically snarls at all the men it come across the film probably should have been called "Woman's Best Friend" or better yet "M.A.X.".Other than the title though the movie is basically a good film and you have to get pretty picky to find any real problems with it. It's not a great movie but it has some good scares, moments of comic relief, and some cool special effects.I don't know why this film has gotten such a low over-all rating. I know that IMDb ratings tend to average a bit on the low side but still this movie deserves a lot better than a 4.4. I have given the film a 7 and feel this movie is good enough to add to any one's DVD library if found at budget prices.Definitely worth a rental if you haven't already seen it.EB