Max

The "mad" Max in this doggy drama isn't the post-apocalyptic road warrior played by Mel Gibson and Tom Hardy. He's a German shepherd, trained by the US military for frontline explosives detection, and repatriated with the canine equivalent of post-traumatic stress disorder after his marine handler/carer Kyle is killed in an Afghan ambush. Lodged with Kyle's grieving family, Max's mental rehabilitation centres on the bond he establishes with Kyle's teenage brother, Justin. The director of the superior sports drama Remember the Titans and the producer of doggy weepie Marley & Me have joined forces on a movie that's well made, often exciting and always corny, albeit quite likeably so. It's decent family viewing, especially for anyone who's down with dogs.