Movie Thoughts: Lassie: A New Adventure (2023)

• Released: July 27, 2023
  
• Directed by: Hanno Olderdissen
• Running time: 1h 31min
• Rating 2.5/5

Synopsis

Lassie, her owner Flo, and Flo's cousins investigate a series of dognappings from around the neighborhood.

My Thoughts

For the record I have not see the preceding movie to this one, but despite it being a sequel one can just go into it. It references the events of the first movie in this new Lassie series very little aside from some character moments and mentions of past events.

In this movie we investigate a series of dog thefts in the neighborhood of Flo's aunt Cosima, especially once the Cosima's dog also gets stolen. Lassie plans to get herself kidnapped so Flo and his cousins will know where she is. It's a basic story but it kind-of works. It's just...not written very well. It's not bad or anything but it does nothing really new and it often feels childish and predictable. Especially since you can predict who the actual villains are and roughly how the plot is going to go from a mile away. It is a simple story that could work, but it does nothing all that innovative or competent with it.

I did like the characters, though. Lassie herself is pretty generic, just your basic heroic dog archetype, but I did like Flo and Kleo, they played off of each other nicely and you can really see their friendship grow, which is nice. I also like the aunt character, even if she isn't in the movie that often. The other cousin, the younger boy (I think his name was Henry?) was annoying to me though, especially because once again his arc was super cliché and also the kid they got to play his voice in the Dutch dub I watched is not a good actor.

Another cringe-worthy aspect of the movie is that in the final few minutes the movie seems to insist that the connection between Flo and Kleo is romantic. Which could've worked...if they weren't cousins. Yeah, it's like the movie forgot about that part for a moment. I get that Kleo is adopted by she still is very much the child of aunt Cosima, making her Flo's cousin. So their romantic kiss was a bit cringe to see. Especially since this is such an easy fix (either have her not be his adopted cousin at all, just a town kid and friend, or keep them cousins but don't make their connection romantic).

Eh, overall this is an okay movie, I don't hate it. It's also just not very good or well-written. If you know a kid who likes dogs they'll probably get something out of this film if you were to play it for them, but otherwise there isn't much worth in seeing this as an older dog lover.