Film / Reviews
White God
White God (15)
Hungary/Germany/Sweden 2014 118 mins Dir: Kornél Mundruczó Starring: Zsófia Psotta, Sándor Zsótér, Lili Horváth, Szabolcs Thuróczy
A unlikely blend of social realism, light science fiction and heavy political allegory, Hungarian director Kornél Mundruczó’s ‘every dog has its day’ drama is provocative and invigorating, taking an extraordinary third-act walkies into Planet of the Pooches territory that is certain to inspire many an animated post-screening discussion.
It opens with what appears to be some kind of dream or fantasy sequence in which a young girl cycles through the deserted streets of Budapest pursued by hundreds of dogs. Only later do we learn its significance. The girl is trumpet-playing 13-year-old Lili (Psotta), who’s dumped on her dour, divorced father Daniel (Zsótér) for three months when academic mum departs for Australia. Much to grumpy Daniel’s displeasure, Lili brings along her beloved, soulful-eyed hound, Hagen. In this parallel universe Hungary, systematic canine cleansing is enforced by law. Anyone owning a mixed-breed mutt must report it and pay a hefty fine. Daniel is clearly no pal of the beasts, as we’ve just seen him working in a slaughterhouse, so this is all the excuse he needs to dump poor Hagen on the far side of a busy motorway. Distraught, increasingly rebellious Lili vows to find him again. Formerly pampered Hagen, meanwhile, dodges municipal dog-catchers, is briefly adopted by a tramp and later finds himself sold into the brutal world of underground dog-fighting.
White God isn’t just an effective animal rights parable. Hagen and his street-dwelling chums might be mongrels, but they clearly represent the marginalised, downtrodden and ‘impure’ of all species. As its tone shifts, this visceral Dog Pound counterpart to Animal Farm echoes a diverse range of movies from kidflicks such as Lady and the Tramp and even Shaun the Sheep to Hitchcock’s The Birds and any number of post-apocalypse movies – especially Rise of the Planet of the Apes, with Hagen in the Caesar role. Mundruczó also makes great use of Budapest – particularly the central market, where he stages a terrific dogs’-eye-view chase sequence. Both mutts that play Hagen should be in the running for a Palm Dog, though some of the four-legged supporting cast seem to be having rather too much fun rolling over and playing dead. At least this takes the sting out of the violent sequences. Should you be wondering about their welfare, the closing credits name each and every one of “our dog friends” and reveal that they were all successfully rehomed after filming finished.
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