MUZZLE

US, 2023, 93 minutes, Colour.

Aaron Eckhart, Penelope Mitchell, Diego Tinoco, Stephen Lang, Paul Johansson, Nick Searcy.

Directed by John Stalberg Jr.

The title indicates restraining animals. Here, in the K-9 department of Los Angeles, there are police dogs, especially one in the opening sequences called Ace, then an attractive dog later in the film, Socks. However, the central character, Aaron Eckhart Jake Rosser, is a Marine suffering from PTSD, asked whether he struggles with anger and replying that it has long since won, needing to be restrained, especially his violent reactions at crime scenes, shooting, needing some kind of muzzling.

On the one hand, this is a police thriller, criminal gangs, drug dealing, violence on the streets, in warehouses… And glimpses the way through of rundown neighbourhoods of Los Angeles.

On the other hand, this is a character study of Jake Rosser, the impact of his past, his commitment to his police work, his angry outbursts, scenes of affable conversations with his dogs, tending them, grieving when Ace is killed in action, referring to him as a police officer rather than as a dog.

Stephen Lang appears as the trainer of the dogs for the police force, sympathetic, helping Jake to find a new dog. Penelope Mitchell appears as a sympathetic nurse, Jake attracted to her, but then her disappearance. There are several of his sequences, and, there are the various police officers throughout the film, the superiors, the partners, those despising Jake but one of them helping ultimately in the confrontation with the criminals.

In the past there was Tom Hanks in Turner and Hooch, James Belushi and K-9.

1. The title? Police dogs? Owners and trainers?
2. A police thriller, Los Angeles, familiar material in treatment, but with differences?
3. The streets of Los Angeles, the poor neighbourhoods, drug dealers, gangs? Police precincts, offices? Crime scenes? Ambulances? The musical score?
4. Jake Rosser and his story, the Marine background, post-traumatic distress, memories of his overseas service, the demands, his responsibilities, the American male and his tough image, in denial for need of treatment? The importance of his dog, the opening, driving his vehicle, talking to the dog, considering the dog as a police officer?
5. In action, the crime scene, Jake and his gun, the shooting, the pursuit of the criminals, his dog, the tactics, Jake and his reactions, the shooting, his dog injured, demanding attention for a police officer, the ambulance treating the humans, his attacking the medic? The consequences, his status, the authorities, the discussions with him, the advice that he see a therapist?
6. The scenes with the therapist, moods, advice, self-reflection?
7. Going to the dog pound, the attraction to the new dog, the friendship of the manager, training, advice?
8. The familiar story of the police, going on his own, the investigations, the interrogations, tracking down clues leads, fellow police officers and their reactions? The authorities?
9. The information, the old man sitting and observing, reluctant information, leads, the help of the fellow police officer, the setup, the role of the dog, the dog and the previous connections, menacing?
10. The final confrontations, Jake, the dog and his devotion, the criminals, the setup, achieving his girls? His future?