As with "Sidekicks" a couple of years ago, Chuck Norris again goes after the kiddie audience with "Top Dog."
But this attempt to broaden his audience beyond the R-rated, kick-'em-up thrillers that were once his staple — and even beyond his tough, controversial television series "Walker, Texas Ranger" — has resulted in a PG-13-rated movie that is so violent that it's hardly for small fry.
In fact, this film could easily go into the "Guinness Book of Movie Facts & Feats" as having the highest body count of any children's movie ever made.
As you have no doubt surmised from the ads, "Top Dog," like "K-9" (with James Belushi) and "Turner & Hooch" (with Tom Hanks), is a comedy about a cop (Chuck Norris) who is reluctantly teamed with a police dog.
The plot is rather unsettling, considering the events of the past week in Oklahoma City: White supremacists are bombing buildings at random, killing innocent victims. (The opening sequence has Reno rescuing an infant wrapped in a blanket from a firebombed building targeted in a black San Diego neighborhood.)
And for the film's climax, they plan to bring all of America's hate groups together to blow up a multiracial peace rally that is being held on Hitler's birthday!
Among the minor villains in this bunch is Timothy Bottoms, who was once headed for major stardom with "The Last Picture Show" and "The Paper Chase." His performance here, however, is not likely to rekindle his flagging career.
On the other hand, Norris' fans will probably be pleased that there is so much action here, with plenty of his patented karate kick steps. But it will probably not be lost on them that there are plenty of shots with what is obviously a stunt double.
Director Aaron Norris (Chuck's brother) has a heavy hand, to say the least, and he has given Reno a number of anthropomorphic attributes to make him seem more human (and smarter than his human counterparts). In fact, he even allows the camera to take the dog's point of view from time to time — to include Reno's having a flashback!
But the director's penchant for pedestrian car chases, underdeveloped characters and things that go boom — not to mention more serious mayhem — tends to completely undermine the comedy, which ranges from silly to dumb.
"Top Dog" is rated PG-13, with considerable graphic violence, a few vulgar jokes and profanity.
And perhaps we should be grateful for small favors. Thankfully, the Brothers Norris have somehow managed to avoid the one cliche we've come to expect in movies like this — here, the dog doesn't urinate on anyone.