Jul 16, 2022

'Paws of Fury' Review Roundup: a dated and outdated animated feature

It is not surprising that Pose of Fury: The Legend of Hank is underperforming at the box office. However, distributor Paramount does not seem to be too concerned. The studio acquired the rights to the film, which is estimated to cost between $45-50 million to make, for the bargain price of $10 million.

The twisted backstory of this film (originally titled "Blazing Samurai") may be more interesting than the actual film itself. The film was conceived over a decade ago and released in 2014. Both the original distributor, Open Road Films, and the animation studio, Ark Productions, went bankrupt for reasons not specifically related to the film.

The list of companies in the final credits is impressive to say the least: Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, Aniventure, HB Wink Animation, GFM Animation, Flying Tigers Entertainment, Mass Animation, Hua Friendship Brothers, and Cinesite, among others. There are also more than 10 producers and executive producers.

Why did so many commit to remaking a childish version of Mel Brooks' classic "Blazing Saddles"? That is a question that no logical person can answer, but it is possible that had Pose of Fury been released a few years earlier, as originally intended, it might have softened the anachronistic impression a bit. As of 2022, however, the film looks and feels like an outdated relic, stylistically and culturally far removed from the current standards of American animated feature films.

Critics are clearly having a field day with the film, directed by Rob Minkoff, Mark Ketzier, and Chris Bailey. On Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic, about half of the critics gave Pose of Fury a scathing review, and the favorable reviews were by no means enthusiastic. Here is what they had to say:

Variety's Owen Gleiberman noted the film's tired humor:

"Pose of Fury" is an efficient but unimaginative animated fable, barely exuding the flavor of a stale Western comedy. It is a film that is not a film about a man who is a man. Mel Brooks, one of the film's executive producers, provides the voice. He is a general and says things like "There's no business like Shogun business," a line I'm inclined to tolerate from the great 96-year-old Mel, but your grandfather probably wouldn't have laughed at it, and that's how much of the humor in "Trail of Anger" is. Jokes are spit out and put there like balls of fluff on a carpet.

Martin Tsai of the AV Club condemned some of the film's content as "morally reprehensible":

Eight companies and a cast and crew of about 300 people were involved, but not enough red flags were raised about the thoughtlessness of the film and its depiction is clear. Blazing Saddles not only hired Richard Pryor as screenwriter, but at least attempted to comment on the bias the film portrays; Paws Of Fury ridiculed the film's commentary and its R-rated ambitions, which is a major concern for all projects, especially such a turned into a reminder of why we need to involve more people of color in creative decision-making on projects.

Mark Kennedy of the Associated Press thought the film's attempt to emulate Brooks' original live-action masterpiece fell flat. The studio seemed to have darkened the legacy of both by seeking legitimacy by bringing the esteemed Brooks along for the bumpy ride. The finished product sits uneasily in a corner of homage, parody, plagiarism, and laziness; Paws of Fury is faithful to Brooks' original script, from the horse-beating moments to the group farting scene, but fails to capture his thrilling, boundary-pushing atmosphere.

Even those who don't hate the film, like Claire Shaffer of The New York Times, don't love it:

Despite its risqué origins, "Trail of Anger" is lighthearted fun, swashbuckling action, and a superficial pursuit of a dream that message of following one's dreams. The sight of a dog and cat in kimonos attending a bottle-service nightclub circa 2009 is not quite so ridiculous in live action. Still, if the sight of those same characters sword-fighting around a giant jade toilet bowl sounds like fun to you and your children, this might be the movie of the summer for you.