Benji: Movie Review

by Riley Lawson, junior

The 2018 remake of Benji is a modern  retelling of the classic  1974 film of the same name; its main characters are Benji the dog, and Carter and Frankie, who are human siblings. It is a excellent choice for many different situations: families watching together, adults wanting to watch the retelling of a classic movie from their childhood, children, dog lovers, or nearly anyone.

The movie features two child actors as the lead characters,  14-year-old Gabriel Bateman as Carter, and 9-year-old Darby Camp. Both of these actors have past experience with Gabriel playing parts in shows, such as American Gothic, and Outcast, and Darby has played in The Leftovers, and Big Little Lies. Probably the most interesting member of the cast, however, is the dog who plays Benji, as he was once a flea-ridden stray dog.  He was found by the director and his son in a grocery store parking lot, malnourished and scruffy, as they were looking for the perfect dog for the part (New York Post).

In the movie, Benji is a stray dog who quickly befriends Carter and Frankie against the will of their mother, who doesn't want them to adopt the dog. The kids soon find themselves in a dangerous situation where Benji must come to their rescue. Of course, after he saves the kids, the mother has a change of heart.

The movie does a good job of incorporating modern  amenities such as cellphones and computers, but doesn't make them a main focus point, which should help as the the movie ages. The only downside to this movie, which can probably be said about most movies intended for younger audiences is that the story is pretty predictable and can get boring at certain points.  Overall, Benji is a very good movie that I would recommend. 

Sources:https://nypost.com/2018/03/15/benji-star-was-once-a-flea-ridden-stray/