THE PLOT THUS FAR
Zoey, a thirteen year old foster child, watches her foster family’s dog get stolen while she’s in charge! The criminals, a pair of Home-Alone-like thugs, are after the mutt because he is a famous show dog. Zoey runs away from the desert on a cross-country adventure with her techie new friend in order to track down the dog and save the relationship with her foster family. Throughout the film, Zoey must dig-in and fight for the life she’s always wanted, undergoing sudden personal growth in the process.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“Zoey to the Max” is a film about a girl losing the family dog to criminals. What’s worse is that she’s a foster kid and she’s developed a kinship to this other adopted family member. Working against fate, Zoey does what she can to get this dog back before she ruins her bond with her foster family. For some reason, I feel like I’ve seen this movie before. But, I guess that’s true for any kid movie that approaches the same material.
Kid movies about dogs always hit a soft spot for me. However, this modern generation seems to be protected from any emotional stakes or high investment in the characters. While I’m not a fan of dogs dying, there needs to be some danger for a kid letting her dog get kidnapped. Not everything has to be “Old Yeller”, but there has to be a reason for the movie to take place. I’m arguing Poetics while kids are yelling at me to shut up. I guess that’s a metaphor for how I enjoy movies.
The DVD comes with no special features. The A/V Quality is pretty sharp for standard definition. The transfer shows off a decent amount of range. Plus, the Dolby 5.1 track is supportive. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase to parents.
RELEASE DATE: 02/24/2015