Another Hollywood Match in China’s Theaters Happens on March 3 as “Logan” Battles “A Dog’s Purpose”

After “Assassin’s Creed” fights for box-office supremacy in China this weekend against “Resident Evil: The Final Chapter,” another war of Hollywood movies looms next week. Both “A Dog’s Purpose” and “Wolverine” would premiere in China on March 3.

“A Dog’s Purpose” was adapted from the 2010 novel of W. Bruce Cameron. The star of the movie is Bailey, a dog who went through four reincarnations and discovers his life’s purpose. The movie begins in 1961 until today wherein Bailey transforms into four different breeds of dog and has different owners, CRI reported. 

Simultaneous Premier for “Logan”

“Logan,” the 10th installment of the X-Men series, opens simultaneously in China and the U.S. on March 3. It stars Hugh Jackman in his last portrayal of Wolverine, the superhero character which he had played for 17 years. Besides Jackman, Patrick Steward plays again the same role of Professor X.

When “A Dog’s Purpose” was shown in the U.S. in January where it earned $66 million, the movie was controversial due to accusations of animal cruelty. A German shepherd was forced into a pool of churning water while the movie was being filmed. However, when a third-party group investigated the charge, it found there were safety procedures in place to protect the dogs. The video clip claiming there was abuse was intentionally edited to mislead the public into believing there was abuse.

Movie Reviews

Unlike this week’s Hollywood fare made up of video game adaptations that got poor reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, “Logan” got good reviews at the Berlin International Film Festival. In early March, Hugh Jackman is expected to fly in Beijing to promote the movie.

Morning News writer Greg Eichelberger, in his review of “A Dog’s Purpose,” found the film a “manipulative and cloying experience” which undermined director Lasse Hallstorm’s good intentions. He said the movie is uneven, schlocky and lacks direction and pacing.