Unraveling the Fate of the Dog in Good Boy: A Canine Horror That Defies Expectations
So, today’s the day we finally meet Indy — not your average pooch, mind you, but the star of Good Boy, a horror flick told through the eyes of a dog who’s the only one seeing ghosts in his owner’s haunted new digs. Yep, the director cast his own dog in the lead role — talk about method acting! The concept blew up on social media, and with a stellar 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, the film’s got folks buzzing. But here’s the kicker: everyone’s asking the same nail-biting question — does the dog die? Honestly, it’s wild how anxious people got over Indy’s fate, probably because nobody wants their furry hero meeting a grisly end on screen. Spoiler alert: Indy’s safe, but man, the tale still hits you right in the feels. Curious how this tale unfolds with ghosts, loyalty, and loss? LEARN MORE.
The film Good Boy releases today, a unique canine horror in which the star of the show is played by the director’s own dog.
The concept went viral on social media when it was announced: a horror movie shot from the perspective of a dog who is the only one able to see the ghosts plaguing their owner’s new house.
With a 91 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes and widespread praise for the concept from those who saw it at film festivals, the movie is finally released.
That said, though, many fans were left with a very simple question that would decide whether they see the film: Does the dog die?
Whilst it seems inconceivable that a film like Good Boy would go as far as to kill off the dog the concept is based around, the trailers made fans worry based on the clear peril Indy is put in throughout the film.
One fan said on X: “If the dog dies i ain’t watching!”
Another on Reddit said: “I don’t want to see the dog die, get traumatised, be scared or nothing bad. None of it. I’m a huge horror fan but I will avoid this like the plague to be honest.”
That leads to the question: Does the dog die in Good Boy?
Spoiler warning for Good Boy
Indy is the star of the show, and many social media users are concerned about his fate in the film (Shudder)
Thankfully for the filmmakers, considering word of mouth that the dog died would lead to the biggest week two box office drop of all time, Indy does not die in Good Boy.
The worst it gets for our little four-legged hero is him seeing the skeleton of another dog that was killed in the past, and he doesn’t end up being hurt physically beyond being briefly dragged by the supernatural entity.
Where Good Boy really tugs on the heartstrings, however, is that Todd, the lead human to whom Indy is such a dutiful pet, dies in the film of an illness that is hinted at throughout the movie.
Director Ben Leonberg told ScreenRant when asked if there was ever a version where Indy dies: “No, Indy was always going to live… [Indy dying] never felt narratively right.
“The better ending is that they have to go on living.”
The film’s director is also Indy’s real life owner (Robby Klein via Getty Images)
The film may not take the more vengeful step that a crueller horror movie might of, but many fans and critics are still loving it.
Chase Hutchinson of The Wrap said of the film: “Indy is a delight who can do no wrong. Though the film around him is not always as assured, he is a star who has earned all the pets and treats a dog could dream of.
“After all the nightmares he had to endure this film, he more than deserves it.”
Meanwhile, Clint Worthington of RogerEbert.com said: “Part of the film’s terror, especially as it reaches its heartbreaking conclusion, is watching this furry innocent see its entire world come slowly crashing down around it, and not being able to comprehend why.”
Good Boy is now available to watch in cinemas in the US. It will be released on October 10 in the UK.
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