The trailer for Good Boy has only been out for a short time, but it’s already sparking waves of unease online. The upcoming thriller leans into unsettling fears about how animals are treated in horror movies. Notably one of the gut-punching pull quotes on Rotten Tomatoes from Clint Worthington of RogerEbert.com has raised concerns.
“Especially as it reaches its heartbreaking conclusion, is watching this furry innocent see its entire world come slowly crashing down around it, and not being able to comprehend why.
One of the most unsettling aspects of the trailer is how it frames the entire story from Indy’s (the dog) point of view. By showing what he sees: dark corners, creaking doors, unseen entities — the film forces viewers to inhabit a world where our senses fail us, and that vulnerability is terrifying. The fact that a poor innocent animal is experiencing this is unnerving.
Pets hold a special emotional place in people’s lives; that bond is leveraged here for maximum horror impact. The idea of a beloved dog unable to communicate the danger he senses forces the audience into helpless empathy. We as the audience (especially us who are dog owners and love them dearly) would be willing to die for Indy. It jolts the audience in a visceral way and for those who saw that trailer, could be a little too intense.
The trailer begins in normal, comforting spaces: a farmhouse, gentle interactions between Indy and his owner, Todd. Slowly, that warmth gives way to dread. The familiar becomes uncanny: another classic horror trope, made more disturbing through Indy’s terrified gaze. Indy doesn’t communicate in human ways. His reactions are instinctive and sensory-driven. Without dialogue or anthropomorphized cues, the trailer relies on body language, silence, and atmosphere to provoke tension. The lack of typical horror stingers or jump scares makes it quietly effective.
The film is currently sitting strong with a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. But that may not be enough to get butts in seats at the theaters. While there are a number of horror fans out there, and horror is certainly having a moment, the idea of a dog being tortured on screen for over an hour is just too disturbing for some viewers.
The combo of a heightened sensitivity to animals and genuine cinematic sensory horror is a potent mix that may just creep people out and give this movie a pass. I happened to miss out on this one at SXSW myself, it wasn’t intentional, it just wasn’t on my radar. However, knowing from the people online a spoiler worth sharing that Indy doesn’t die, I may give this film a chance. I’m curious.
However, for those who have the reserved the right to not see it, whether they don’t feel comfortable with the film’s premise or their sensibility to animals, I completely respect their decision to pass on Good Boy, even if it’s just based on that trailer alone.
Good Boy premieres in theaters October 3rd.
