Muzzle movie review

MOVIE TITLE: Muzzle

This crime thriller is now playing in theaters, and available on Video On Demand on Amazon Prime and Vudu.

RATING: R

LENGTH: 1 hour 36 minutes

MOVIE REVIEW MOM GRADE: B

IN A NUTSHELL:

The story is about a cop whose canine partner gets killed in the line of duty. After losing his dog, Jake Rosser plummets deep into a sinister underworld to uncover the truth about who may be responsible.

The film was directed by John Stalberg Jr, who also wrote it with Carlyle Eubank.

THINGS I LIKED:

I’ve been a fan of Aaron Eckhart for years, and I usually like all of his movies, so I was interested in seeing this one. The movie is a study that shows how both his character and the dog are muzzled by past traumas.
I also really like Stephen Lang as an actor. His characters always look like they have a long story to tell about their background.
The movie shows a very ugly side of what’s happening in America now. The streets are filled with homeless people in tents surrounded by garbage and worse things. The story takes place in Los Angeles which, sadly, has turned into a complete dumpster fire of a city.
The color palette of the film is dirty and grimy, perfectly representing the filthy underworld the movie is about.
You’ll learn some German words because cops speak to their canine partners in German! I’ve heard that German Shepherds are one of the smartest dogs.
There is a suspenseful scene with some action that utilizes very interesting camera angles. Well done.
The ending is really sweet.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

The love interest is odd. The woman is a nurse with her own set of emotional baggage, so it’s weird that she would be interested in an infamous, violent cop who has shown zero warmth toward her when they first met. She basically throws herself at him, vanishes for the majority of the story, and then shows up at the end of the movie with almost no more interaction with the cop.
The final villain looked like a cartoon character.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Profanity, including F-bombs
We see prostitutes, crazy people, and druggies on the streets
An explosion kills people
Violence
Blood
A variety of weapons are used
Cigarettes and alcohol use
We see people get killed in various ways

THEMES:

Cops: human and canine
Man’s best friend
Crime
Healing
Truth
PTSD
Fentanyl and the drug cartel
Vengeance
Hurt people hurt people

FUNNY LINES:

“There’s something you’re not telling me.” – Jake to his dog

INTERESTING LINES:

“You asked if I struggle with anger. I don’t. I let anger win a long time ago.” – Jake Rosser (Aaron Eckhart)
“Do what lonely people do: get a dog.” – Detective Ramos (Delissa Reynolds)
“Your dog will become completely addicted to you so don’t abuse that power.” – Leland (Stephen Lang)
“Human connection. It’s crucial.” – Aldo Damon (Grainger Hines)