Arctic Dogs

{{Infobox film

| name = Arctic Dogs

| image = Arctic_Dogs_poster.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| director = Aaron Woodley

| producer = {{plainlist|

}}

| writer = {{plainlist|

Bob Barlen
Cal Brunker
Aaron Woodley
Bryan Thompson

}}

| starring = {{Plainlist|

}}

| music = David Buckley

| editing = Lesley Mackay Hunter

| studio = {{Plainlist|

AMBI Media Group{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/arctic-dogs-1251743/|title='Arctic Dogs': Film Review|last=Scheck|first=Frank|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=November 1, 2019|access-date=October 3, 2021}}
AIC Studios
TATATU
Assemblage Entertainment

}}

| distributor = Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures

| released = {{Film date|2019|11|1}}

| runtime = 93 minutes

| country = {{Plainlist|

United States
Canada
Italy
India

}}

| language = English

| budget = $50 million{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2016/02/ambi-group-and-barajoun-entertainment-ink-multi-year-multi-picture-joint-venture-berlin-1201700482/|title=Ambi Group And Barajoun Entertainment Ink Multi-Year, Multi-Picture Joint Venture- Berlin|publisher=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=28 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190817154721/https://deadline.com/2016/02/ambi-group-and-barajoun-entertainment-ink-multi-year-multi-picture-joint-venture-berlin-1201700482/|archive-date=17 August 2019|url-status=live|date=11 February 2016}}

| gross = $9.9 million{{Cite web |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl537232897/ |title=Arctic Dogs (2019)|website=Box Office Mojo |publisher=IMDb |access-date=19 February 2020}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Arctic-Dogs-(2019) |title=Arctic Dogs (2019)|website=The Numbers |publisher=IMDb |access-date=22 January 2020}}

}}

Arctic Dogs (also known as Arctic Justice internationally or Polar Squad in the UK) is a 2019 animated comedy film co-written and directed by Aaron Woodley{{cite web | url=https://www.animationscoop.com/trailer-arctic-dogs/ | title=TRAILER: "Arctic Dogs" – Animation Scoop | date=22 June 2019 }} and co-directed by Dimos Vrysellas. The film stars the voices of Jeremy Renner, Heidi Klum, James Franco, John Cleese, Omar Sy, Michael Madsen, Laurie Holden, Anjelica Huston and Alec Baldwin. The film centers around a Arctic Fox delivery worker as he and his cohorts attempt to stop a Walrus from attempting to melt the ice caps.

Entertainment Studios released Arctic Dogs on November 1, 2019, in Canada and the United States. The film was a major critical and commercial failure, grossing less than a fifth of its production budget of $50 million. Critics panned the film's lack of originality, humor, story, and animation quality.

Despite its reception, the film spawned a franchise, including a web series and multiple spin-off series and films.

Plot

Swifty (Jeremy Renner), an Arctic fox, works in the mailroom of the Arctic Blast Delivery Service, but he has much bigger dreams. He wishes to become a Top Dog, the Arctic's star husky couriers. To prove he can do it, he commandeers one of the sleds and delivers a mysterious package to a secret location. Once there, he stumbles onto a hidden fortress, overseen by the nefarious Otto Von Walrus (John Cleese). The blubbery evil genius commands an army of oddly polite puffin henchmen.

Swifty discovers Otto Von Walrus' villainous plan to drill beneath the snow-packed surface to unleash masses of ancient gas to melt the Arctic and become the world's supreme ruler. To stop this sinister scheme, Swifty enlists the help of his friends: P.B. (Alec Baldwin), a neurotic polar bear, Lemmy (James Franco), a scatterbrained albatross, Jade (Heidi Klum), a brainy red fox engineer and Swifty's love interest, Leopold (Omar Sy) and Bertha (also voiced by Heidi Klum), two conspiracy theorist otters and Magda (Anjelica Huston), his curmudgeonly caribou boss.

Voice cast

Jeremy Renner as Swifty, an Arctic fox
Anderson Lewis as Young Swifty
Alec Baldwin as P.B., a polar bear and Swifty's best friend
Heidi Klum as Jade, a red fox
Lillian Moloy as Young Jade
Klum also voices Bertha, an Eurasian otter
John Cleese as Otto Von Walrus, a walrus
Anjelica Huston as Magda, a Russian-accented caribou
James Franco as Lemmy, a scatter-brained albatross
Omar Sy as Leopold, an Eurasian otter
Michael Madsen as Duke, a Siberian Husky
Laurie Holden as Dakota, a Siberian Husky
Donny Falsetti as Dusty, a Siberian Husky
Nina Senicar as Countdown Inka
Aaron Woodley as Puffin Leader, a horned puffin
Soraya Azzabi as Alma
Jason Deline as "Nasty Naz" Narwhal, a narwhal

Production and release

The film was announced as Arctic Justice: Thunder Squad on August 30, 2014 with AMBI themselves handling international sales.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2014/film/markets-festivals/al-pacino-the-humbling-producers-venture-into-animation-1201294767/|title=Venice: Al Pacino's 'The Humbling' Producers Venture into Animation|date=30 August 2014|access-date=12 November 2024|work=Variety|first=Nick|last=Viviarelli}} The film's cast was announced on May 5, 2015. Around that time, Dimos Vrysellas was originally tapped to direct.{{cite web|url=https://www.awn.com/news/all-star-voice-cast-set-arctic-justice-thunder-squad-feature|title=All-Star Voice Cast Set for 'Arctic Justice: Thunder Squad' Feature|date= 5 May 2015|access-date=12 November 2024|work=Animation World Network|first=Jennifer|last=Wolfe}} On February 14, 2017 Open Road Films acquired the North American distribution rights to the film and was originally scheduled to be released on an undisclosed 2018 date.{{Cite news |last=Busch |first=Anita |date=February 1, 2017 |title=Open Road Films Acquires 'Arctic Justice: Thunder Squad' For 2018 Release |language=en-US |work=Deadline |url=https://deadline.com/2017/02/arctic-justice-thunder-squad-animated-film-jeremy-renner-alec-baldwin-heidi-klum-movie-release-date-1201899775/ |access-date=August 16, 2017}} The film was acquired by Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures in the United States and Canada due to Open Road Films' bankruptcy and solely released on November 1, 2019.[https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/arctic-dogs Common Sense Media]{{cite web |url = https://deadline.com/2018/12/byron-allen-alec-baldwin-jeremy-renner-heidi-klum-esmp-distribution-arctic-dogs-justice-open-road-1202512695/ |title = Byron Allen's ESMP Takes On U.S. Distribution Of Animation 'Arctic Dogs' Voiced By Jeremy Renner, Alec Baldwin |date = December 3, 2018 |website = Deadline |language = en-US |access-date = May 31, 2023 |first = Andreas |last = Wiseman}} Lionsgate Home Entertainment released it on DVD and Blu-ray on February 4, 2020. It made $1.3 million in total US video sales.[https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Arctic-Dogs-(2019)#tab=summary the-numbers.com]

Reception

=Box office=

In the United States and Canada, Arctic Dogs was released alongside Harriet, Terminator: Dark Fate and Motherless Brooklyn and was projected to gross $5–10 million from 2,835 theaters in its opening weekend.{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/box-office-terminator-dark-fate-harriet-opening-weekend-1203386841/ |title=Box Office: 'Terminator: Dark Fate' to Take Down 'Harriet', 'Motherless Brooklyn' |last=Rubin |first=Rebecca |work=Variety |date=29 October 2019 |access-date=29 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191029234934/https://variety.com/2019/film/news/box-office-terminator-dark-fate-harriet-opening-weekend-1203386841/ |archive-date=29 October 2019 |url-status=live}} It made $700,000 on its first day and ended up debuting to just $2.9 million, finishing 10th and marking the worst opening of all-time for a film playing in over 2,800 theaters.{{cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |title='How 'Terminator: Dark Fate' Conked Out With $27M+ & Why 'The Irishman' Is Not A Missed Strategic Opportunity – Box Office |url=https://deadline.com/2019/11/terminator-dark-fate-linda-hamilton-harriet-motherless-brooklyn-weekend-box-office-1202774477/ |website=Deadline |access-date=3 November 2019 |date=3 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191103043256/https://deadline.com/2019/11/terminator-dark-fate-linda-hamilton-harriet-motherless-brooklyn-weekend-box-office-1202774477/ |archive-date=3 November 2019 |url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cartoonbrew.com/box-office-report/arctic-dogs-bombs-worst-opening-of-all-time-in-2800-theaters-181858.html|title='Arctic Dogs' Bombs, Worst Opening Of All-Time In 2,800+ Theaters|website=Cartoon Brew|date=3 November 2019|access-date=11 November 2019}}

=Critical response=

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of {{RT data|score}} based on {{RT data|count}} reviews and an average rating of {{RT data|average}}.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/arctic_dogs|title=Arctic Dogs (2019)|website=Rotten Tomatoes|publisher=Fandango|access-date={{RT data|access date|df=dmy}}|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191101114430/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/arctic_dogs|archive-date=1 November 2019|url-status=live}} Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 28 out of 100 based on four critics, indicating generally unfavorable reviews.{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/arctic-dogs|title=Arctic Dogs Reviews|website=Metacritic|publisher=CBS Interactive|access-date=10 November 2019}} Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B−" on an A+ to F scale, while those surveyed at PostTrak gave it an overall positive score of 64% and a 41% "definite recommend".

Many critics panned the film's lack of originality. The Hollywood Reporter wrote: "Lacking much in the way of humor or charm, the film [...] culminates with the sort of frenetic, action-laden climatic sequence that has become de rigueur for these offerings".{{Cite web |last=Scheck |first=Frank |date=2019-11-01 |title='Arctic Dogs': Film Review |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/arctic-dogs-1251743/ |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}} CinemaBlend called the film half-baked: " [...] it's [..] made excessively clear that the movie has no desire to access any depth if it [..] means slowly down the A-to-B plot in any way, and/or [...] get[s] in the way of juvenile jokes that have been tired for two decades[.]"{{Cite web |author1=Eric Eisenberg |date=2019-11-02 |title=Arctic Dogs Review: If You See Only One Snowy Animated Movie This Year... Stay Far Away From This One |url=https://www.cinemablend.com/reviews/2483682/arctic-dogs-review-if-you-see-only-one-snowy-animated-movie-this-year-stay-far-away-from-this-one |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=CINEMABLEND |language=en}}

The film's more positive reception was also not without criticism. TheWrap's William Bibbiani, noted that "[t]he story is at its best when Cleese's eccentric supervillain is on-screen. The rest of the time it's merely a functional series of events[.]" Bibbiani would go on to say that the film "[...] is a functional, distracting kids flick that's only remarkable in how unremarkable it is."{{Cite web |last=Bibbiani |first=William |date=2019-11-01 |title='Arctic Dogs' Film Review: Unremarkable Kids' Cartoon Offers Self-Esteem and Environmental Messaging |url=https://www.thewrap.com/arctic-dogs-film-review-heidi-klum-john-cleese/ |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=TheWrap |language=en-US}}

In 2020, it received a Canadian Cinema Editors Awards nomination for Best Editing in Animation.{{cite web |url=https://cceditors.ca/2020/04/06/nominees-for-the-10th-annual-cce-awards/|title=Nominees for the 10th Annual CCE Awards|work=Canadian Cinema Editors|date=2021-01-27|access-date=2021-01-27}}

Animated series and spin-off films

A web series set after the events of the film titled Arctic Friends was released in September 2020 on both Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime Video, consisting of 40 collections (160 shorts).{{cite web|last1=Milligan|first1=Mercedes|title='Arctic Friends' Shorts Go Global, US Premiere Sept. 15|url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/streaming/arctic-friends-shorts-go-global-us-premiere-sept-15/|website=Animation Magazine|date=15 September 2020 |access-date=19 September 2020}} Another spin-off series titled Puffins was also released, featuring the voice of Johnny Depp as Johnny Puff.{{cite web|last1=Vivarelli|first1=Nick|title=Johnny Depp to Voice Lead in New Animated Series 'Puffins Impossible' From Iervolino Entertainment (EXCLUSIVE)5|url=https://variety.com/2020/film/news/johnny-depp-to-voice-lead-johnny-puff-in-new-animated-series-puffins-1234643760/|website=Variety|date=22 June 2020 |access-date=25 November 2020}}{{cite web|last1=Milligan|first1=Mercedes|title=First Look at Johnny Depp Character in 'Puffins' Takes Wing|url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/first-look-at-johnny-depp-character-in-puffins-takes-wing/|website=Animation Magazine|date=25 November 2020 |access-date=25 November 2020}} A spin-off of Puffins, entitled Puffins Impossible, was released in April 2022, with Depp reprising his role as Puff.{{Cite web|last=Vivarelli|first=Nick|date=16 March 2022|title='Puffins Impossible' Starring Johnny Depp to Play on Apple TV App, Amazon (EXCLUSIVE)|url=https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/puffins-impossible-johnny-depp-apple-tv-plus-amazon-1235206553/|access-date=22 April 2022|website=Variety}} There are also two Christmas live action/animation spin-off films titled Christmas Thieves (2021) and The Good Witch of Christmas (2022).{{cite web | url=http://www.samuelgoldwynfilms.com/christmas-thieves/ | title=Christmas Thieves – SAMUEL GOLDWYN FILMS}}{{cite web | url=http://www.samuelgoldwynfilms.com/the-good-witch-of-christmas/ | title=The Good Witch of Christmas – SAMUEL GOLDWYN FILMS}}

=Spin-off animated films=

Arctic Friends: In Search of the Arctic Idol {{cite web | url=https://ilbegroup.com/portfolio/in-search-of-the-arctic-idol/ | title=In Search of the Arctic Idol | work=Iervolino Bacardi Entertainmen Film Productions }}
Arctic Friends: Swifty {{cite web | url=https://ilbegroup.com/portfolio/swifty/ | title=Swifty }}
Arctic Friends: The Magic Portal {{cite web | url=https://ilbegroup.com/portfolio/the-magic-portal/ | title=The Magic Portal | work=Iervolino Bacardi Entertainmen Film Productions }}
Johnny Puff: Secret Mission {{cite web|url=https://ilbegroup.com/ |title=Iervolino & Lady Bacardi Entertainment S.p.A. |last= |first= |date= |website= |publisher= |access-date= |quote=}}
Mini Puffins {{cite web | url=https://ilbegroup.com/portfolio/mini-puffins/ | title=Mini Puffins | work=Iervolino Bacardi Entertainmen Film Productions }}
Puffins: The Walrus Who Wanted Too Much {{cite web | url=https://ilbegroup.com/portfolio/the-walrus-who-wanted-too-much/ | title=The walrus who wanted too much }}
Puffins: A Stellar Adventure {{cite web | url=https://ilbegroup.com/portfolio/a-stellar-adventure/ | title=A Stellar Adventure }}
Puffins: Arctic Games {{cite web | url=https://ilbegroup.com/portfolio/arctic-games/ | title=Arctic Games | work=Iervolino Bacardi Entertainmen Film Productions }}
Baby Puffins & Bunny {{cite web | url=https://ilbegroup.com/portfolio/baby-puffins-bunny/ | title=Jipo & Baby Puffins | work=Iervolino Bacardi Entertainmen Film Productions }}
Robo Puffin {{cite web | url=https://ilbegroup.com/portfolio/robo-puffin/ | title=Robo Puffin }}