Togo — Movie Review
by KJ Proulx
Even though Disney has been releasing a few gems over the last few years, it’s really no secret that they’re having a blast making money on their classics. Whether it’s continuing Toy Story or making tons of live-action versions of their animated films, audiences, although flocking our to see them, don’t seem to be all that impressed. With the exception of their franchise in The Marvel Cinematic Universe, I really can't see a new franchise blossoming for them anytime soon, unless you count the fact that they now own Avatar. My point is that it’s always nice to see them take on an original film and Togo is their latest live-action original to be released, but this time by their streaming service, Disney Plus. Is it worth watching? Absolutely.
Without giving anything away for those who haven’t heard the real story, Togo tells the opposing story to Disney’s 1995 film Balto. Known as the 1925 serum run, Togo follows Leonhard Seppala (Willem Dafoe) and his sled dogs as they travel through impossible conditions to retrieve medicine for a hospital with dying children. This is the core premise of the movie, but it’s also equally about the bond between owner and dog. This film will have fans of both animals and drama tearing up. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience with this movie.
Although it doesn’t do anything new for films like this, it adds a depth of emotion that most of them are devoid of. Willem Dafoe, although not giving an award-winning performance by any means, remains committed from beginning to end. I found myself attached to these dogs, due to the love that was very clearly coming off of him. On top of that, there are some great visuals for a film that wasn’t released in theatres. Disney Plus is clearly trying to release some quality content on their streaming service.
In the end, Togo is a great film to watch with families around the holidays, so I believe those who have subscribed to their service will be enjoying this one very much this year. For the classics, Star Wars and Marvel content, I can definitely recommend signing up for this service, but I believe purchasing a month of this service just for this movie will even make you happy. It’s a great feel-good story, even though it does delve into some sad elements. There’s not much else to say about this movie. It’s very well-made and emotionally satisfying. I absolutely recommend checking it out.
Rating: 4/5
Check out the trailer below:
