‘Underdog’ fetches the bad guys

“Never worry! Underdog is … furry?” cries the title character of this summer’s Disney hit, “Underdog,” after helping to foil criminals. Shaking his animated head, Underdog, aka Shoeshine, flies away attempting to come up with a catchier slogan.

Finally settling on “Never fear! Underdog is here!” the flea-collared hero flies into the hearts of audiences across the nation. Opening last Friday, the remake has had mixed reviews, but it has delighted both the target audience and their older siblings.

The opening credits of the film are punctuated with clips from the original “Underdog” cartoon. Even the theme song is a throwback to the 1964 animation. While it is modernized to fit with today’s “techno” culture, the song is just as repetitive and irritatingly catchy as the original.

The plotline is contrived and the characters are predictable, but the jokes are amusing and the story is heartwarming. Jason Lee provides the voice of Shoeshine, a lovable beagle recently “fired” from the canine division of the city’s police department who finds a home with security guard Dan Unger (Jim Belushi).

Captured by Dr. Barsinister’s henchman Cad (Patrick Warburton, the then unnamed beagle becomes a subject in DNA enhancement testing. Terrified of the machinery, he attempts to escape and in the process drenches himself in the multiple DNA-filled beakers. His newly created skills allow him to escape, blasting a hole in the door with his super speed before finding Unger. Dr. Barsinister (Peter Dinklage) launches a search for the beagle while Shoeshine is realizing his powers.

Jack, Unger’s son (Alex Neuberger), is sent home early from school after forging a doctor’s note. He finds the house destroyed and keeps hearing a voice. Upon realizing the voice belongs to Shoeshine, the classic double scream takes places between the boy and the dog.

The common boy and his dog relationship forms from the chance meeting and the two become best of friends. Soon, the two are helping each other woo their respective crushes: school reporter Molly and her adorable puppy Polly.

The story moves on to chronicle Shoeshine’s reluctant transformation into Underdog. Named after Jack’s school mascot, Underdog goes on to stop a jewelry robber (ironically planned by Barsinister), catch a cat burglar and save a feline from a burning building.

The transitions between scenes are reminiscent of the original with a giant “U” flashing and spinning across the screen. This classic device brings to mind the cartoons everyone enjoyed in their youth. Whether they were watched in the ‘60s or in the late ‘90s, the basic cartoon format has not changed so drastically that the conventions are unrecognizable.

If a person going to see “Underdog” is looking for a well-developed film, he or she is bound to be disappointed. On the other hand, if people are looking for an 80-minute cartoon, “Underdog” is sure to delight.

With the basic bad-guy-destroying-the-world plot, “Underdog” is predictable, but the cartoon-esque quality makes it charming.

Grade: B+