Killing the dog

[blu blood]

Recently I was watching

[Show spoiler]Game Over Man, the Netflix original comedy from the Workaholics guys, in which the villain kills a supporting character's cute little dog with C4

I thought the movie was fairly funny, admittedly I was a big fan of their show when it was on, but not particularly memorable.

But when discussing the movie with friends I was actually pretty angry that they made the decision to kill the dog, not because I don't think you should ever kill the dog in a movie as a rule, I just thought it was completely unnecessary in a comedy. The villain was already well established, I didn't feel like killing the dog raised the stakes at all. There are countless times that movies like to give the impression that the cute little dog was in peril, only to escape at the last moment or miraculously reappear at the end of the movie, so I guess they were attempting to flip that familiar trope, but it bothered me.

What are your thoughts on "killing the dog"? Is it different in a comedy versus a drama?

[oilers73]

It's all about context. I haven't seen the movie in question, but given the reputation of Workaholics, it doesn't surprise me that they threw something like that into it. I know it's fiction, but leave animals alone.

[blu blood]

Originally Posted by oilers73

It's all about context. I haven't seen the movie in question, but given the reputation of Workaholics, it doesn't surprise me that they threw something like that into it. I know it's fiction, but leave animals alone.

I agree.

I don't have a problem with it if it actually raises the stakes, I just didn't feel like it did in this case.

[imsounoriginal]

Watch the new Predator movie and you'll wish they killed the dogs.

[jacobsever]

I don't care at all about animal or child deaths in movies. It doesn't bother or effect me.

I also don't remember that happening in that movie. I watched it when it first came out, and obviously that scene held no impression on me, because I can't picture when or how it took place.

[jacobsever]

[Mr. Chaverria]

Originally Posted by oilers73

It's all about context. I haven't seen the movie in question, but given the reputation of Workaholics, it doesn't surprise me that they threw something like that into it. I know it's fiction, but leave animals alone.

Nothing is off bounds when it comes to death. How they do it? That's different. People and animals die and get killed.

If there's a death, I hope it's worth it.

I'm not particular a fan of how an animal or child being killed is taboo. BS. They deserve to die like anything else. It happens in real life.

[Monterey Jack]

It's all "fake" anyways, so who cares if a dog bites it in a movie? Do people freak out and think someone ACTUALLY DIED when they get shot in a movie? I like animals just fine, but I have no problem if I see one "dying" in a movie.

[shinobipopcorn]

A movie like Red Dragon, yeah you expect that since the guy is textbook (though it was a cat). I don't really like when it's done for humor or in police brutality situations though.

And of course it's sad when a movie like

[Show spoiler]Turner and Hooch

happens but the ending sort of fixes that...

[MikeScott]

I would rather they just leave the animals alone. Hate when they put animals in peril. Kill all of the people you want in a movie but I'd rather there not be animal violence. Unless it's like Cujo or something . I haven't seen Game Over Man and was somewhat interested but not anymore.

[blu blood]

Originally Posted by jacobsever

Didn't die though and returns in the sequel...

[blu blood]

Originally Posted by Mr. Chaverria

Nothing is off bounds when it comes to death. How they do it? That's different. People and animals die and get killed.

If there's a death, I hope it's worth it.

I'm not particular a fan of how an animal or child being killed is taboo. BS. They deserve to die like anything else. It happens in real life.

Again, I don't think either should be considered taboo either, it just felt grossly unnecessary in this comedy.

The scene in question

[Show spoiler]the villain straps an explosive to the hostage's dog and then drops the dog into an aquarium in which the dog starts swimming back and forth and he places the trigger to the explosive between the hostage's back and the aquarium forcing him to keep it pinned in a wall sit and the villain eventually kicks his legs out from under him, blowing up the dog and everything in the aquarium

.

My issue isn't with killing the dog, it's the needlessly complicated and cruel way of doing it in a movie where the scene truly added nothing.

[the one who knocks]

Originally Posted by blu blood

Again, I don't think either should be considered taboo either, it just felt grossly unnecessary in this comedy.

The scene in question

[Show spoiler]the villain straps an explosive to the hostage's dog and then drops the dog into an aquarium in which the dog starts swimming back and forth and he places the trigger to the explosive between the hostage's back and the aquarium forcing him to keep it pinned in a wall sit and the villain eventually kicks his legs out from under him, blowing up the dog and everything in the aquarium

.

My issue isn't with killing the dog, it's the needlessly complicated and cruel way of doing it in a movie where the scene truly added nothing.

Agreed. Take the Anchorman example above, if that was the last we saw of the dog, I would have been okay with that scene because it was ridiculous and funny and the following scene with Will Ferrell's reaction in the phone booth was funny. If I remember right, it also served a plot point and began his characters downward spiral.

In Game Over, Man, the scene wasn't funny and served no plot purpose. It just came off as mean spirited. I liked Workaholics but every now and then their humor would veer into this territory of hurting animals for shock value and it was usually a turn off for me.

[scifisuperfan]

[Levon]

Originally Posted by oilers73

It's all about context. I haven't seen the movie in question, but given the reputation of Workaholics, it doesn't surprise me that they threw something like that into it. I know it's fiction, but leave animals alone.

[LegacyCosts]

Originally Posted by jacobsever

I don't care at all about animal or child deaths in movies. It doesn't bother or effect me.

I also don't remember that happening in that movie. I watched it when it first came out, and obviously that scene held no impression on me, because I can't picture when or how it took place.

You're not effected by seeing a dog killed? Sociopath much?

[jacobsever]

Originally Posted by LegacyCosts

You're not effected by seeing a dog killed? Sociopath much?

Nah. It's a movie.

Do I like seeing animals die in real life? Not at all. But movies are movies.

[AlexIlDottore]

it's fiction., but don't touch the animals

what kind of crap is this?

[BluePhirePB]

[Levon]

Originally Posted by AlexIlDottore

it's fiction., but don't touch the animals

what kind of crap is this?

As we say in Scotland, "Birthday caird pish".