Max (2015), PG, ★1/2

That's a good boy, Max. Stay there so he can pet you.

A dog can change everything regarding your life in general or your depression. But, a canine companion who has been at war with a soldier is different because he is a dog at duty. Also, the dog is soldiers is surrounded by gunfire, dirt and explosions. Plus, *spoilers*, but it's in the trailer, the main character's brother died at war and the dog who arrives back in America and sees his friend and mentor in a coffin and whimpers a bit loudly. That's sad. However, when you have a movie involving a dog, you can see all of the excitement and tragedy coming a mile away. Even though it is a bit unpredictable, it is a kid's movie that is rehashed into an Oliver Stone movie with drugs and a dog and it was an unpleasant experience to watch.

Max is a German Shepherd helping U.S. Marines in Afghanistan. His handler is Kyle Wincott (Robbie Amell) and has a good relationship with the dog. Kyle keeps in touch with his family: his mother, Pamela (Lauren Graham) and his father, Ray (Thomas Haden Church). However, his younger brother, Justin (Josh Wiggins), does not care for what Kyle and his father contributed to his country going to war. Justin makes money ripping off video games for other people, while Ray wants Justin to work with him. However, tragedy strikes when two soldiers come into their home to inform that Kyle has been killed in action.

The other Marines notice that Max is only calm when he is around Justin, apparently sensing and knowing that he is Kyle's brother. Justin denies Max at first as he is sent to the pound. But, as Pamela informs Ray and Justin that Max is about to be put down, they take Max in. Max keeps barking constantly during the night waking up neighbors and Justin. Justin stays all night with Max in the backyard. Justin would need some people to improve Max's behavior, so his friend Chuy (Dejon LaQuake) and his cousin, Carmen (Mia Xitali).

First of all, Max is the best aspect of the movie as he is a great dog as he has the ability to outperform the actors like Thomas Haden Church and Lauren Graham. He can perform tricks and be outspoken. But, here's the problem: he and the kid are always in danger especially in a very hackneyed plot where it involves another soldier and arms dealers. And, I thought and I was asking to myself: When did this family-friendly movie become a political arms-dealer movie? It felt like the Coen Brothers and Oliver Stone came into the director's chair and took over for the majority of the movie. The movie almost ripped off my brains because the movie diverted into another level of stupidity with a family film involving a dog. It is a stupid move on the screenplay.

Boaz Yakin, the director, tries too hard to insert the routine arms-dealing plot onto the story that they let the actors go and do their thing and the filmmakers did not care. Let's have the dog push people and kill people in defense of the kid. I will admit this that the movie did not end predictably like many movies involve a dog do. That's a bit refreshing. But, even though the cast is strong and the dog is well worth watching, the movie's stupid plot involving arm-dealers is what derailed the experience for me. Max deserves a movie so much better than this. A strong opening 30 minutes then a boring and perilous movie.

*1/2