“Good Boy” is a 2025 horror film directed by Ben Leonberg, an extremely loyal dog named Indy who has to stay brave and strong against supernatural, shadowy figures in order to protect the owner he loves most. “Good Boy” is very entertaining and creative while only utilizing an untrained dog.
The main character of the film is a dog named Indy, who is played by the director’s own dog and had no training at all for filming.
This is perfect because it adds to the realism of the dog’s reactions and allows for the audience to feel fear, sadness and anxiety for the pup.
Overall, the film feels so raw and real. The idea of a horror film from a dog’s perspective is so unique and creative. There aren’t many extreme scary images or jump scares, but the relationship built with the dog forces people to feel more fear and concern for the dog’s whereabouts and actions.
The way the film was shot is extremely interesting. Throughout the entire movie only three people were on set, the director, Ben Leonberg, his wife and of course Indy the dog.
The plot of the movie follows the dog, Indy, and his owner Todd as they relocate to a cabin in the woods previously owned by his grandfather. Todd suffers from a lung disease that worries his sister, Vera. Vera’s main concern is not only the isolation that Todd will face, but also the fact that their grandfather also spent his final moments in this cabin.
Believing that it is haunted, Vera constantly calls Todd to make sure he is safe. However, Todd slowly becomes more sick and the house subtly seems more and more to be cursed by some dark supernatural spirits.
Overshadowed by Todd’s illness is Indy’s loyalty and ever concern with the safety of the house. As dark shadowy figures seem to overtake the house, Indy defends his owner while also watching him lose himself to his illness.
The film’s overarching theme focuses largely on death and the emotional effects of losing a loved one. This message being delivered through a dog is very powerful and adds so much weight to the story. Indy doesn’t necessarily understand the concept of death and loss; he only acts upon his love and loyalty for his owner Todd.
This makes all of the actions more upsetting and unsettling because it’s constantly made apparent that Indy has no true understanding of what is happening in the house or to his owner. This adds to both the fear and the suspense of the film because the audience is limited to Indy’s perspective.
Overall, “Good Boy” is an entertaining and frightening concept for a horror film. Indy’s character and acting ability adds to the rawness and relatability of the message. It’s a well done thriller with an impactful message, and a movie perfect for the season.