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…except this time the dog is a robotic killing machine that was developed by an amoral arms manufacturer for the United States military, rather than a boy and his dog. What is it that could possibly go horribly wrong?
The answer, as you might expect, is a great deal, and it has absolutely nothing to do with the specifics of the bizarre film’s plot. According to the screenplay by director Oliver Daly, the eponymous dog should be both cute and threatening at the same time, depending on what the situation calls for at any given time. Throughout the film, Daly takes a variety of approaches to the story, transitioning it from a generic tale of a teenage dirt bike racer who feels trapped in his life and bonds with the robot to a plot about hiding the dog from various locals and the dastardly arms mogul’s mercenaries, and finally, to an all-out horror story, in which the robot attempts to viciously murder a jerk teenager who, earlier, had attempted to kill it for a laugh and
In a helpful, introductory computer simulation/marketing slideshow, we’re introduced to AXL (pronounced “Axle”) and its benefits. The acronym stands for “attack,” “exploration,” and “logistics,” which means that it can demonstrate its abilities with either radar or a massive machine gun, depending on the situation and the situational context. Developed by Andric Craine (Dominic Rains) in the spirit of dogs who have served as companions and/or helpers to human warriors throughout history, the war machine is a fictional creation. This robot can form a bond with a single owner that is as strong as that of a natural canine, if not stronger.
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This creature naturally makes its way out of the building, where it is eventually tracked down by Miles (Alex Neustaedter), the aforementioned bike racer who doesn’t see a way out of his current situation. His father Chuck (Thomas Jane) and he manage his racing career while also working in an auto repair shop. His father wants him to be realistic about his future, but Miles does not believe he is intelligent enough to attend college. That pretty much brings any level of character development to a close.
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Sam (Alex MacNicoll), a well-funded competitor who is jealous of Miles’ talent, abandons him in the desert where he eventually comes across AXL, who has been hiding in a freight crate. In order to fix the artificially intelligent dog, Miles must first resolve an awkward misunderstanding with the robot that is attempting to kill him for invading its territory (which seems to be damaged and incapacitated quite a lot for an advanced weapon of war). In a way, the two become friends, and the robot is extremely helpful in Miles’ attempts to win the affections of Sara (Becky G), the daughter of Sam’s family housekeeper, during the course of the film.
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A disjointed combination of sleek visual effects (for the moments when it goes into action) and ungainly puppetry (for the moments when it is shot in close-up) is used to portray the dog itself in the film. The puppet appears to be bulkier and far more rickety in its movements when compared to its digital counterpart, which runs, leaps, and flies through the air with jet bursts with grace and ease. Instead, the dog never feels like a real thing because it is always obvious that he is either a special effect or an animated puppet—and it is also obvious when Daly switches between the two modes of expression.
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As for the story, well, there isn’t much of one to begin with. When Miles and Sara are unable to find a way to conceal the robot, they must decide what they will do with it. Seeing through the robot’s eyes, Craine believes that he has unintentionally discovered a human test subject (“Let’s see how this plays out,” he says as he watches AXL pin Miles’ bully to the ground and threaten the bully with the sharp, whirring gears in its mouth.) As Craine’s corporate goons get closer to them, Miles and Sara find themselves having to repair the dog on a regular basis. In the midst of Craine’s unethical behavior, Chuck offers some sane advice to his son about playing with a machine that was designed to kill, while Craine’s right-hand man (played by Lou Taylor Pucci) sneers.
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It goes without saying that Daly has no genuine concerns about the ethical quandary that this dog’s existence presents. The robot is just as much a tool for the filmmaker as it is for the antagonist in this film. The dog is supposed to be either lovable, with its red eyes changing to a neon blue whenever it makes a new friend or plays fetch, or a ruthless killing machine, as when it stalks Sam like a stalking killer in a horror film. However, the dog is neither of these things (even popping into frame with rough barks and sharp, metal teeth to scare the kids in the audience into the arms of a parent).
What is lacking is a genuine personality on the part of the robot (or the human characters, for that matter). An improved dog is promised in the wake of a violent standoff/chase, and the film’s title character promises a sequel (good luck with that). Hopefully, it will receive a makeover in terms of temperament.
For more personality quizzes check this: Downsizing Quiz.
