Ben Leonberg’s decision to make his dog, Indy, the protagonist of his horror film Good Boy (2025) is not exceptional. The list of canine leads is long and covers almost all cinematic genres. In horror cinema, we can mention the classic Cujo (1983), based on the Stephen King novel. However, if we want to consider how Leonberg uses the dog’s perspective as an absolute resource for his narrative, perhaps we should recall Au Hasard Balthazar (1966) by the great Robert Bresson. The concept of Good Boy takes a different course but ultimately relies entirely on the artifice of using the dog’s point of view from start to finish.

With the initial sequence, Good Boy sets the stage for plunging us into a horror film. The script by Alex Cannon and the director Leonberg himself presents a story with a simple and direct structure. Todd (Shane Jensen) is going through a very delicate health situation and decides to leave with his dog, Indy, for an old house in a remote area. Once Todd and Indy arrive at their destination, the dog begins to perceive a strange and malevolent presence. As the film progresses, these paranormal manifestations intensify, and the film prepares us for the classic struggle of good versus evil from the perspective of a dog trying to protect its owner.

A Good Boy

Indy narrating the story of Good Boy represents both Ben Leonberg’s greatest success and his greatest challenge. Telling the plot from the dog’s perspective works especially well when we understand that the terror is only the surface of a much more emotional and profound story. The director delves into the world of an animal that, driven by loyalty, tries to protect its owner from an evil that is beyond its comprehension. However, the same device that grants originality—keeping the camera at Indy’s height and concealing human faces until the last act to reinforce his point of view—also creates a certain monotony in some passages, as the repetition dampens the initial impact of the visual proposal.

In the realm of horror, Good Boy achieves very good moments in terms of staging and execution. The sequences with Indy tormented by those beings emerging from the shadows and the spooky visions are very effective. As a genre film, we can even say it finds a way to offer a fresh and original vision. It generates tension and suspense with familiar formulas, but replaces the human protagonist with the canine one. The film strives to move the audience with its portrayal of a dog’s loyalty as it faces supernatural forces to save its master. Between scares, Leonberg proposes a narrative that combines horror with sensitivity to elevate his protagonist, Indy. An intimate piece that views life and death through the eyes of a dog.