Family Benji (2018)

Name: Benji
Director: Brandon Camp
Released: 2018-03-02
Duration: 87 min

Kevin · Feb 27, 2018

Title: Benji

Tagline: A Hero Comes Home

Genre: Crime, Drama

Director: Brandon Camp

Cast: Gabriel Bateman, Darby Camp, Kiele Sanchez, Gralen Bryant Banks, Will Rothhaar, Angus Sampson, Jerod Haynes, Jim Gleason, Brady Permenter, Tom Proctor, Jon Arthur, Lacy Camp, James W. Evermore, Kirk H. Andersen, Chris Angerdina, Anthony Barbier, Brandon Fontenot, Shane Jackson, Arthur J. Robinson, Sean Stevens, Micheal Robinson, John Garcia, Ron M Patterson, Shannon J. Jackson, Victoria Hardway

Release: 2018-03-02

Runtime: 87

Plot: Two school kids strike up a friendship with an orphaned puppy named Benji. When danger befalls them and they end up kidnapped by robbers who are in over their heads, Benji and his scruffy sidekick come to the rescue.

Kevin · Feb 27, 2018

Thinking back to my childhood in the 1970's, it was an odd time in regards to what what movies I was exposed to. At the same time my Mom would take us to see Aliens she would also also take us to see movies like Benji. Those were fun times and likely part of the reason why I love movies so much.

Netflix, as part of their original content offerings, has done a reboot of Benji. "Reboot" may not be the most accurate word to use since there has been several 'Benji' movies not connected to each other so I'm using it more to signify that it is the 2018 version of Benji as opposed to just one of the old movies being available on Netflix.

Brandon Camp, grandson of Benji creator Joe Camp, spearheaded the effort to reboot the title and before Netflix they had turned down several studios who all wanted to do their own version. Some of the pitches were for a sci-fi movie, an animated movie, a movie with an "edgy & sarcastic" Benji, and a movie with voice over narration so that the "adults will like it too". Eventually the Camps ended up working with Jason Blum, founder of Blumhouse, who has previously done genre films like Paranormal Activity and Get Out. Blum wanted to let the Camps make a "Benji" movie in the fashion of the original films and went on to finance a new movie and, based on his prior experience, recommended offering it to Netflix instead of at the theaters or direct-to-video.

I suspect I'll end up watching this one with Mrs. Kevin on a Friday night with some takeout and our dogs by our sides.

Benji will be available for streaming on March 16, 2018.