'Marmaduke' review

Lee Pace (Credit: Joe Lederer/20th Century Fox)

Marmaduke (voiced by Owen Wilson) is a 200 lb. Great Dane who destroys property while his jowls endlessly yap statements like, “This party’s off the leash.” For some reason Marmaduke’s family tolerates his bad behavior and brings him with them from Kansas to California, where Marmaduke develops the hots for one dog (voiced by Fergie) without realizing a nicer dog (Emma Stone) has eyes for him as well.
 
The buzz: After scolding a troublesome pooch in “Marley and Me,” Wilson clearly took on the voice of Marmaduke to see how the other half lives. Or because he was tickled by a script with two mentions of “Who Let the Dogs Out?” Normally strong Lee Pace and Judy Greer are the clearly ashamed actors shouting “Marmaduke, no!” in this CGI adaptation of the popular comic strip.
 
The verdict: During the film someone calls out “Marmaduke!”—in longing or frustration—33 times. If his name were only one syllable the depression-inducing “Marmaduke” would barely be feature length. Padding that time is a stunningly fake-looking scene of Marmaduke break-dancing and a doggy surfing competition that absolutely qualifies as cruelty to animals. With two multiple doggie farts in his owners’ bed and unnecessary references like “Nobody puts Dukie in a corner,” Marmaduke doesn’t just soil the screen. He rubs your face in it.
 
Did you know? The two laughs that save "Marmaduke" from a goose egg in the star department involve a dog who can speak six languages and a dog who travels by purse but claims, “In my country I was a lawyer.” There; now you really have no excuse to see this movie.

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