How much worse can life get than being a dog stuck in a town full of cats?
Well, if Mel Brooks has anything to do with the answer (and he does), it can get pretty darned funny.
“Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank” gives us a hilarious, sometimes raunchy and entirely delightful story about poor Hank the dog (voiced by Michael Cera), who finds himself defending the cat haven Kakamucho from a ruthless villain named Ika Chu (voiced by Ricky Gervais), who wants to wipe the town off the map.
How’s that going to work? Well, first Hank will have to learn how to be a samurai. He asks, but it seems there is no “Samurai for Dummies” book. So Hank will have to take lessons from reluctant local teacher Jimbo (voiced by Samuel L. Jackson).
Need I say more?
There is more, much more, and all of it is hilarious (well, unless you consider the notion of an execution squad for canines less than amusing).
There’s nothing new, strange or startling here. It was originally supposed to be a follow-up to “Blazing Saddles” called “Blazing Samurai,” but that was years ago. Instead, it’s an outright spoof, with sight gags, fart jokes, one-liners, and a few references to other films like “West Side Story” and “Star Wars.”
It’s got some messages about stuff like admiration, courage and not judging on looks alone, but mostly it sounds like one Mel Brooks gag after another.
Some people don’t think that’s enough to carry a film. Me, I have always loved Brooks’ sense of humor. If you think he writes funny stuff, this show is for you.
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