Though no relation to Sam Fuller’s ’80s racist mutt movie White Dog, Hungary’s Foreign Language Oscar bid explores similar themes, being a canine revenge drama in which the strays of Budapest gang up on their human abusers.
The low-key set-up is quaint but misleading; after teenager Lili (Zsófia Psotta) is forced to give up her trusty mongrel Helga by her estranged father, Helga turns to the streets, where life is grim. Animal lovers may find its brutal depictions of dog-fighting hard to watch, but this perfectly PETA-friendly production soon clicks into action for a climax that is not only breathtakingly exciting but flawlessly handled.
