A Boy and his Dog – THE Fallout Movie We Never Had

I read somewhere that this film from the 70s was one of the main inspirations for Bethesda’s series, Fallout, among many other things. After watching it I do understand why it is regarded as such… So let’s dive into it!

Personal Thoughts

The primary reason that made me watch this seemingly unknown movie, was simply because I needed more Don Johnson. Like many other people, he blew me away with his work as Sonny Crockett for the emblematic “Miami Vice” (the series that single-handedly redefined the 80s with neon, pastel colors, trends and tons of inspiration for following medias like videogames, movies, music, etc.)

So I went on this movie thinking: “Sure, why not. More Don Johnson, what more could I possibly ask for?” and boy if I was sorely mistaken. At this point I’m not even biased (or maybe just a little recency bias since the movie is still fresh in my mind): this film goes straight to my top of best movies ever made! It has everything I could ask for: highly original and ingenious ideas, low budget (yet they spent every single penny wisely), it exudes soul, a talking dog (not the pretentious/childish kind), philosophy, great setting, simple but effective plot, doesn’t fall into trite cliches, a badass ending which screams “homies over hoes”… Oh and yeah, Don Johnson.

In Retrospective

But I’m getting ahead of myself. So what’s this all about? Think of Mad Max on a slightly smaller scale – both because of economic constraints and because the work here is more human and at times poetic. It’s not about big explosions and congeries of stuff that is thrown in just for the surprise-factor. Our main characters are Vic (an impulsive youngster who’s main focus is getting laid) and Blood (a sapient dog who not only is his partner but a teacher of life).

The mission of the former is just to make the better of each passing day, living the moment, whereas the latter has bigger plans in his canine mind: to find a peaceful land called “Over the Hill”, a legendary place devoid of the dangers that costantly loom among the wastes they currently live in.

But of course, like every good story, there are quite a few hurdles in-between. Rapes, death, famine, squalor, mutants, bandits, divergent minds, and the dystopian regime that inhabits the underground of this already utopian populace. At this point I could roam into spoiler town, but I digress… I only hope I tempted you just enough to give it a watch.

Where to Watch

I highly recommend this great story, which is currently available on YouTube (and it supports subtitles for various languages too). So, if you want to make yourself the favor to enjoy it, feel free at the following link.