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Before the previews started forPaws of Fury: The Legend of Hank, my son and I were the only ones in the theater. A few more small families strolled in during the previews, but there were nine people total in the theater. Was this the greatest animated film of all time? Absolutely not, not even close! HOWEVER, if you have kids and want to take them to a movie that you’re able to get some laughs from, this movie is definitely an option for you.
If you weren’t aware, myself included,Paws of Furyis essentially a kid friendly version ofBlazing Saddles, the 1974 Western black comedy starring Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder.Blazing Saddleswas directed by Mel Brooks, who executive produced and voiced a character inPaws of Fury, complete with classic Mel Brooks one liners and references to his work. From the big opening number to breaking the fourth wall, it pays homage to one of the best comedies and comedic directors of all time.
We follow our main character Hank (Michael Cera), a dog who has traveled to a land entirely populated by cats to become a samurai. He is appointed the town samurai by Ika Chu (Ricky Gervais) who wants to destroy the town of Kakamucho to expand his palace. Hank then meets Jimbo (Samuel L. Jackson), a former samurai who agrees to train Hank to become a samurai. They are all based on characters fromBlazing Saddlesand have the same roles essentially: Hank is Sheriff Bart (Cleavon LIttle), Ika Chu is Hedley Lamarr (Harvey Korman), and Jimbo is Jim/The Waco Kid (Gene Wilder).
Michael Cera and Samuel L. Jackson have good back and forth as Hank and Jimbo, and it’s hilarious to hear how they gave Samuel L. Jackson the opportunities to almost curse in the film. Ricky Gervais plays the villain well, very smarmy and sarcastic like he should be. George Takei voices Ohga, based on Mongo fromBlazing Saddles, and has some funny moments.
Also Read:The Sea Beast Review: The Best Animated Film of 2022
The supporting cast also has some familiar names as well: Michelle Yeoh, Djimon Hounsou, Aasif Mandvi, and Gabriel Iglesias. While they aren’t the main focus of the plot, they provide good supporting comedy and have funny moments with Hank. Kylie Kiuoka as Emiko is the strongest member of the supporting cast, a small cat that no one takes seriously who also has a dream of becoming a samurai.
There is also aBig Nateshort before the movie starts, which I didn’t know was going to happen going into it. My son really loves theBig Natebook series, so if you have kids who know the books, they will enjoy the short as well.
At the end of the day, this movie wasn’t made for me.Blazing Saddleswasn’t either, but I’m more of a target audience for that now thanPaws of Fury. This movie was made for my son, who gave it a 10/10. It also gives me the opportunity in the future to introduce him to Mel Brooks’ work when he gets older, because he has made some truly great films. If that is the result of seeingPaws of Fury, that makes it worth it for me!
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Elliott Wishnefsky
Film/TV Critic
Articles Published :89
Elliott Wishnefsky is a Film/TV Critic for FandomWire and a member of the Critics Choice Association. He’s a graduate of Millersville University with a Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education. Elliott is also a content creator for his own brand, Learning at the Movies! Twitter: @Learning_Movies | Facebook/Instagram: @learningatthemovies | TikTok: @learningatthemovies
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