ARCTIC JUSTICE/ARCTIC DOGS

US, 2019, 92 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Jeremy Renner, Heidi Klum, James Franco, John Cleese, Omar Sy, Michael Madsen, Laurie Holden, Anjelica Houston, Alec Baldwin.
Directed by Aaron Woodley.

Originally Arctic Justice but changed to the friendlier title, Arctic Dogs, this is a pleasant, if slight animated comedy adventure. With the delivery of the post in snowclad terrain, it evokes some memories of Jack London’s Call of the Wild.

The excited hero of the piece, Shifty, voiced by Jeremy Renner) is an Arctic Fox, who idealises the dogs who draw the sled and deliver the mail. To be like this is is one ambition. But, he is considered too small and slight.

But he does have a whole range of friends, of all shapes and sizes, a variety of animals – with the opportunity for various movie celebrities to provide character voices. He is attracted to another Fox, voiced by Heidi Klum. She is inventive and creative, rather an Arctic brainwave. She is employed by a mysterious wheelchair-bound walrus with an English accent – in fact, John Cleese. He lives in a remote mansion, is up to no good.

When the dogs give up on the mail route, Shifty makes a plea to take their place. It is quite an effort pulling the sled but he manages successfully. However, when he tries to tell his friends about the dangerous walrus, they consider him as the Fox who cried Wolf and don’t believe him.

Needless to say, Shifty does persuade them, goes to the rescue of Jade, confronts the walrus and there is the expected happy ending.

It is animated film designed for younger audiences, perhaps more suitable to the very young – the parents might find it too slight but could be amused by the range and shapes of the characters and the celebrity voices.