If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Did you people see the same film I saw?

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

The Plague Dogs... it's kind of hard to describe why this film is so good, because of all the things it manages to execute to near perfection.The animation, for it's time, is amazing, especially seeing that Martin Rosen's approach to this and "Watership Down" (another great) was to make the world and the animal characters in it seemingly realistic to a key (to an awkward point, when they draw out the dogs "package"). Nonetheless, the settings are dreary and threatening for our characters Rowf and Snitter (voiced by John Hurt, who also voiced Fifer in Watership Down) to traverse, and both the animals and even the humans are very well done.Such a provocative story as well, one that makes this more of an adults film rather than a children's (given a PG-13 rating for a few bloody reasons). The relationship between Rowf and Snitter is done brilliantly, and though I've never read the actual book, the way these two characters work with one another and each others self-conflicting emotions (Rowf's cynical yet determined will to survive, Snitter's intellect but often driven mad by his past misdeeds and being "cursed") to survive the harsh brutal world they escaped to is phenomenal. Even the characters they come to interact with (the sheep herders two collies, and "Tod" the fox) play their parts in helping these two find their way to freedom, though they may not actually be helping. Tod in particular is a fittingly cunning fox, and while he is helping these dogs for his own gain, he comes to a point in his life that he puts aside his own selfish thieving gain and sacrifices himself for the two. In the end, after enduring long and treacherous times in the wilds of Scotland, pursued by hunters for slaughtering sheep, and believed to be ridden with a "plague" from the cruel lab they escaped from, they come to the end of their journey. The film ends on a very sad (or if you choose) uplifting note, depending on how you interpret the ending of their story, whether or not they survived in the end. It may leave you with a mixed feeling, but the overall journey with Rowf and Snitter and everything in between makes this one of the greats in animation.Reasons this film is mainly geared more for adults isn't just for the enthralling story and the end result, it especially touches base with the issue of animal cruelty (most expressed in the beginning of the film, where Rowf is forced day by day to undergo endless swimming sessions of "endurance", drowning in the end and being revived by the humans to be put through the torture once more). Though I can't put my finger on what they did to Snitter, but it severely messed with his personal mind, causing his terrible imagery of his past, which in my mind delves even deeper on what terrible things we've done to animals simply for the sake of "what will happen." Say what you will about the issue, but I don't uphold animal cruelty on any level, but I wouldn't put a human first in line to be tested by a drug or treatment before it's proved foolproof. Wherever you stand on the issue, this film still manages to prove its point well, and makes you think about the aspects of animal experimentation/cruelty in labs.To top it off with dark story elements, such as the dogs trying to revert to the "wolf" ways to kill to survive, and bloody details of injuries, attacks on both animals and humans (one in particular that Snitter did not mean the cause may very well scar you for life), "The Plague Dogs" never ceases to amaze in my eyes.This film is definitely one to see at least once in your life, and many times thereafter if you truly grasp what the film attempts to evoke to its audience. Definitely in my top 10 favorite films (not just animated) of all time (alongside "The Iron Giant" of course).9/10 Jeffrey V/sonicfan5715

A couple of days ago I could finally have a copy of THE PLAGUE DOGS in my own hands (my DVD contains the 85 minutes version). I waited years to finally watch this film (read about it here in IMDb) and I even had a problem with eBay since its first copy I ordered never arrived to my place. It was all worthy since there's anything quite like it, or better said, I have not seen anything like it. There are much more animated films that are not AT ALL for kids, with depressing themes (like GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES), but this one is certainly unique: it's an animated film with talking dogs (and a talking fox too – it gained my attention how we basically don't see the humans but just hear their voices) that can be described with a word like *agonizing*. It's about a couple of dogs (voiced by John Hurt and Christopher Benjamin) that are trapped victims of an animal research facility. Paul Thomas Anderson said that THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE is not about finding the actual treasure but about what happens after finding it. I would say that, to reference what Anderson said, THE PLAGUE DOGS is not about surviving, or finding a way out of, the animal research world but about what happens once the two dogs are free. According to the tagline, and how they sold the film, that thing is the "adventure of a lifetime". But this isn't quite an adventure, in the good sense of the word. It's pure agony, a story with no hope that truly surprised me; I mean, there's a specific scene, featuring one of the dogs and a man with a handgun, which is the kind of brutal I never imagine I was going to find here (even when I did know the premise of the film). I'm not going to watch THE PLAGUE DOGS very often, but it sure is a great, very touching (single lines will move you, like for instance when one of the dogs says that why he is in the animal research facility if he is not a bad dog) and perfectly animated piece of work. *Watched it today

This was one of those rare movies that had me staring at the screen long after the credits had ended with my jaw slightly ajar and gaze unblinking. The first time I watched this animation all I could think to say at the end was "wow" and nothing else. This was truly an amazing movie. It's bleak, dark, depressing, the colours are dull and "muddy" and there's very little comic relief, however, this happens to be one of the most beautiful movies I have ever seen. The colours may be almost muddy looking, but it's all to set the tone. It's realistic. Colour in the real world isn't always vibrant, and endings arn't always happy.It's the honesty. That's why I love this movie so much. It just doesn't tell a lie. The dogs do have voices, but they're still dogs. They can't seem to understand humans, nor do they understand much outside their previous limited world within the animal testing facility. And, I must add, this film had the most anatomically correct animals I've ever seen in an animated movie. The dogs both behaved and looked just like dogs. It's just so honest... something very rarely seen in any animated movie.As for comic relief... well, as I mentioned before, there is very little. The only character you can really look to for a little comic relief is the fox, The Tod. But this doesn't take away from the movie at all, in fact, I think it adds to it. This is a serious movie, a realistic movie. The dogs don't think of the world as a fun place or even a good place, really (save for Snitter's optimism when he's in the right frame of mind).And the dialogue is brilliant. Especially with lines like "He can't change what he is, Rowf. He's only doing what he'd normally do if he was on his own." -Snitter, referring to The Tod. And of course, Rowf's line at the end....(Warning, next part contains major spoilers) And of course... the ending. That beautiful, sad, and poetic ending. That's the part that always sticks with me. I remember watching the movie for the first time and sitting at the edge of my seat wondering what the hell those dogs are going to do when behind them is people, all wanting them dead, and in front is just the seemingly endless ocean. Snitter chooses the ocean, seeing an island they can swim to... but in reality, that island is only the reflection of the sun on the water. Rowf, reluctantly, goes after him.And then I hear that music playing in the background... and my heart just stops. Just as Snitter is about to give up Rowf tells him that "there is an island, don't you see?" and they swim into the fog and the credits roll.I couldn't believe it. That was how it ends? They try to escape death and then they just die anyway? Those thoughts were eliminated quite soon as I realized, that was a great ending. They died, yes, but they weren't killed. They were free. And that island was symbolic of that. All their hardships over, all those bad times gone. At last, peace of mind. No pain no more.

This movie had been recommended to me because I had watched "Watership Down" years ago, and I found it very interesting and unlike any other animated movie. I was told that "The Plague Dogs" was similar in make, so I thought I would give it a try. This gave me the same eerie feel, but it kept me on my toes, almost like a suspense film. I have never seen a film so accurately display dog's behaviors AND personify them... Instead of just talking dogs, I felt as if I was just given a translation of what they would have really been saying if they COULD talk. This made the movie feel so real to me, I connected with the characters and this movie was simply a pleasure to look at. The realistic environments, the glistening coats of the dogs, even the water trickling down the stream was a relief from most modern animation.I am not one to cry when I watch movies. This movie made me sob and sob, in the beginning I cried, and in the end I cried. Like I said in my summary: it's definitely tough for dog lovers to watch!!! I would highly recommend this movie, however it is not for kids 16 and under. If you think you'd like to watch it with your family, the parental guidance on this site is incredibly helpful for this, and for any movie on here. 10/10 in my opinion!! What a great movie!!