13 of the Worst Animal Themed Movies

Centering a movie around an animal is not usually a good idea, both from a technical and entertainment point of view. But it is a way to make a movie easy to sell, since children will likely want to go watch the cute funny animal do cute funny things.

When this formula is met with no real originality or effort, however, the film is doomed to fail. These were never meant to be Oscar winners or summer blockbusters, yet the complete lack of effort pushes them far behind mediocrity. These are the worst movies we could find with an animal at its center.

Marmaduke

The 2010 live-action Marmaduke adaptation was heavily criticized for its talking-animal humor, awkward CGI mouth movements, and thin story. Many reviewers felt the movie stretched a simple newspaper comic strip into an exhausting feature-length experience.

Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore

This sequel doubled down on secret-agent pets, celebrity voice cameos, and heavy CGI. Critics largely found the story dull and overcomplicated, with many arguing the movie lacked the charm that made the original mildly entertaining.

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3: Viva la Fiesta!

By the third installment, Disney’s talking-dog franchise had become a direct-to-video series many viewers barely remembered. Critics and audiences frequently pointed to its formulaic story and increasingly low-budget feel.

Dr. Dolittle: Million Dollar Mutts

One of several direct-to-video Dr. Dolittle sequels, Million Dollar Mutts pushed the talking-animal concept well past its limits. Even fans of the original Eddie Murphy films rarely mention this later installment.

Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch

The Air Bud series started as a goofy novelty, but by the baseball entry many audiences felt the formula had worn out. The increasingly ridiculous sports premise became harder to take seriously with every sequel.

MVP: Most Vertical Primate

This family comedy about a skateboarding chimpanzee somehow followed a hockey-playing chimpanzee movie. The bizarre premise earned cult curiosity, but many viewers considered it one of the stranger animal-centered family films ever released.

Monkey Trouble

A capuchin monkey trained to steal wallets sounds like a fun family premise on paper. In practice, Monkey Trouble received mixed reviews and never achieved the lasting popularity of stronger animal-focused movies from the era.

Benji: Off the Leash!

The Benji franchise produced several beloved family films, but Off the Leash! received a far weaker response. Many critics felt it lacked the emotional appeal that originally made the famous dog character work.

Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties

Bill Murray famously voiced Garfield again in this sequel, but audiences and critics largely viewed it as unnecessary. The talking-cat humor and royal inheritance storyline struggled to justify a second theatrical movie.

Underdog

Disney’s live-action adaptation of Underdog attempted turning a cartoon superhero dog into a family blockbuster. Instead, the film earned lukewarm reviews and quickly faded from public memory despite its recognizable source material.

Snow Dogs

Disney marketed Snow Dogs heavily around talking huskies despite the animals speaking mostly in dream sequences. Many viewers felt the movie leaned too hard on cheap animal gags rather than genuine comedy.

The Shaggy Dog (2006)

Tim Allen’s remake of The Shaggy Dog updated the classic premise with modern effects, but critics largely found it uninspired. The film became another example of Disney struggling to revive older family properties.

A Talking Cat!?!

This low-budget family film became infamous online thanks to awkward acting, strange editing, and Eric Roberts recording his dialogue from what sounded like a separate room. It has since become a cult bad-movie favorite.