Slow-moving and brooding: Danny Chambers reviews 'Black Dog'

Man and dog: Eddie Peng plays outcast Lang | Image by: Collection Christophel / Alamy Stock Photo

Danny Chambers

@DannyVet

In this Cannes prize-winning Chinese film, two outcasts form an unexpected bond: Lang (Eddie Peng), an ex-convict who has just been released for manslaughter, and a black street dog, who is known for biting several citizens and feared to be rabid.

Upon returning to his hometown after a decade-long prison sentence, Lang discovers that his former careers as a rock musician and a motorbike stuntman mean that people have not forgotten him. Some locals are happy to see him, but others, like Butcher Hu, a snake-meat farmer with a vendetta, are still hungry for revenge.

The film’s setting in a desolate, partially abandoned town on the edge of the Gobi Desert in northwestern China contributes to the narrative and atmosphere. The location is so bleak it feels almost otherworldly, with stark widescreen cinematography capturing the landscape in near monochrome. The lead actor’s portrayal of Lang is compelling – his nuanced performance conveys the inner turmoil of a man haunted by guilt and shame for his previous crimes.

Set against the backdrop of China’s preparations for the 2008 Olympics, the film contrasts the country’s modern, outward-facing image with this forgotten, struggling community, seemingly left behind by progress. Indeed the gradual demolition of the town, its abandoned zoo and the packs of stray dogs, many of which have been left behind by their owners who have been forced to leave in search of better opportunities, appear to serve as metaphors for the Chinese government’s treatment of its people.

The film evokes the atmosphere of Clint Eastwood’s Pale Rider

Lang takes on a job with a group tasked with capturing and removing stray dogs from the area. The local government is eager to attract businesses and investment, but the packs of stray dogs, which potentially harbour rabies, are seen as both a public health risk and an obstacle to economic development.

Globally, around 60,000 people die annually from rabies, typically contracted through dog bites. This means there’s always a fear of death from dog bites in regions where rabies is prevalent – a fear largely absent in places like Britain, which has been rabies-free for over a century. As a veterinary surgeon with years of experience working on rabies control projects around the world, the film resonated with me on a deeply visceral level. The terror of knowing a single bite could be fatal is something most of us in Western Europe struggle to fully comprehend. 

One of the most harrowing scenes in Black Dog encapsulates this dread perfectly. After Lang is bitten by a stray, he ties the potentially rabid animal up in his backyard. Over the next 10 days, he watches the dog closely, knowing that if it dies of rabies, his own life is at risk. This scene is terrifying, not just for the immediate danger but for the psychological horror of waiting, knowing that your fate is tied to the life – or death – of the creature that attacked you. It’s a fear that lingers, a silent countdown that adds to the film’s already intense atmosphere.

Eddie Peng delivers a subtle performance that relies heavily on physicality – his character barely speaks. With its sweeping panoramic shots of a desolate town, the slow pacing, coupled with a protagonist of few words, the film evokes the atmosphere of Clint Eastwood’s Pale Rider. 

Many will find this film too slow-paced, and there are some scenes and characters that don’t seem to advance the narrative. Would I see it again? Probably not, but I’m glad I watched it. The brooding and contemplative atmosphere stayed with me for a little while.

Danny Chambers is Lib Dem MP for Winchester

Black Dog
Directed by: Guan Hu
Venue: Selected cinemas
Distributor: Trinity CineAsia 
 

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