'Togo (2019)' finds its charm whenever it focuses on a very well-trained puppy portraying an intolerably untrainable one, and it finds its excitement whenever it focuses on the stylistic feats of sled-dog mastery required to navigate its focal Alaskan storm. Its action is an odd mix of real-life animal work and CGI set-pieces. However, its overall formalistic effect isn't entirely unsuccessful. It never comes close to feeling realistic but it evokes the effect it's going for. Some of it's actually suspenseful. The story isn't the most compelling, though it does have a good set-up and proper stakes. It just doesn't grip you, exactly. It's well-written but generally dry. A lot of it is just characters talking about how good its eponymous dog is. The relationship between the dog and his owner is tangible, though. The movie is entertaining enough throughout. Its overdone ending isn't the best note to go out on, but the experience is fairly enjoyable nevertheless. 6/10

I admit it, I'm a sentimentalist. I cried like a baby at my own wedding while my wife looked on in bemusement. I weep at favourite songs or pieces of music and shed tears freely at emotionally charged movies. It was my wife's brother who recommended we watch this movie during lockdown and I really should have read the signs. First off it's a Disney movie, secondly it's about a brave dog ...and right from these two facts, I knew I was going to struggle to get through it dry-eyed.

And so it proved. With films like this, for me anyway, critical faculties are suspended and you just want it all to end happily so that you don't have to hide your feelings anymore. I do know that Willem Dafoe and Julianne Nicholson were excellent in their parts as the slightly mismatched couple who set up home in the remote, frozen, northernmost part of America. He's the local "mush-man" responsible for trekking his team of husky dogs over unforgiving terrain for the benefit of the local community while she provides all the back-up back home he needs for them both to keep their operation going.

Comes a catastrophic diphtheria outbreak to the town, especially targeting young children and the need to requisition urgent medical supplies from some 500 miles or so away, but with an impending spell of bad weather knocking out the possible use of aeroplane or rail transport, the only way to go get the job done is for Dafoe and his dog's to undertake a hazardous cross-country trek like no other to collect the vaccines and get them to the hospital to help save the kids' lives.

With a storyline given added topicality and piquancy by the devastating Covid-19 virus outbreak, this was a thrilling and moving race against time, taking on the elements and indeed the odds, the effort spearheaded by crusty old Dafoe and his pack, especially Togo the pack-leading dog. Early on we're fed the back story of how Togo came into the couple's possession and how the dog's irrepressible desire to accompany Dafoe on his travels sees him twice unsuccessfully try to offload the dog to new owners, only for Togo to somehow find a way to break free and return back home from whence he came, Finally Dafoe is persuaded by the dog's errr... doggedness, to reluctantly road-test the apparently under-sized dog and eventually concede that its courage and stamina outweigh any physical disadvantages it may have.

We see the pack endure unbelievable dangers in their epic mission, Togo literally pulling out all the stops to navigate the team over breaking ice-floes, slog up snow-bound foot-hills and even save the group from certain doom near the end, in a particularly amazing show of love, strength and fortitude by the dog.

It's a Disney film so there's probably a fair bit of dramatic licence taken with the story but you'll have a good idea how it ends. The landscapes, making great use of drone shots on-high are frequently eye-catching and there's was a plaintive lonesome-violin soundtrack which further set the scene. I don't know how much of the cinematography was C-Gen assisted but the actions of the dogs and Togo in particular, looked natural to me.

Anyway I got through to the end with some dust in my eyes and immediately afterwards felt the need to hug our own dog of over ten years in sympathy and appreciation for what I'd just seen.

This one's for you, Flip.

It's 1925. Leonhard Seppala (Willem Dafoe) drives his dog sled home to Nome, Alaska and his wife Constance (Julianne Nicholson) ahead of an epic storm. The team is led by his beloved lead dog Togo. There is a diphtheria outbreak which threatens the town's children and there is only one man who can travel the distance to retrieve the needed serum. His dire quest becomes a media sensation.

This is an old fashion Disney doggie movie in the best way. It is Based on a true story. It has its thrills. It is heart-warming. It's a simple adventure. Dafoe is great. The ice stuff is fantastic. The Balto bit is the cherry on top. This is Disney at its old fashion finest.