Sleeping Dogs (1977) User Reviews

Solid if not spectacular

[stekelmoll · 6/10 · 18 June 2002]

Based on the novel Smith's Dream by academic C. K. Stead, Sleeping Dogs is set in a totalitarian New Zealand. Smith moves to the country to escape trouble but is framed by the state as a terrorist.The rest of the film involves his attempts to avoid arrest and his eventual fate.

Released in 1977, the film possessed a poignancy for New Zealanders, who at the time viewed the then Muldoon National Government with some suspicion. A scene involving riot police in an Auckland street was a chilling portent of events during the 1981 Springbok rugby tour to New Zealand, and indeed on its release in the USA, some Americans confused the film's images with media reports of the tour protests.

Notable for Sam Neill's role as Smith, the movie started a late 1970s revival in the New Zealand film industry, including movies such as The Scarecrow, Skin Deep, and Smash Palace.

Good Springboard for Director and Actor

[yarbles-2 · 7/10 · 21 September 1999]

This film is a chilling view of how New Zealand could be if ruled by a totalitarian oppressive Government, like so many other countries around the world. It focuses primarily on one character named Smith (played by the now famous Sam Neil). The direction is excellect thanks to the talents of Roger Donaldson (Dantes Peak). But if you read those names and expect a big budget, action-packed, thriller your out of luck, it was made back in 1977 when they were starving artists. This may not appeal to those unfamiliar with New Zealand, but its worth a look if you like well scripted well acted emotional movies

Neill shines

[llareggub · 7/10 · 31 July 2019]

Apparently, this was Sam Neill's second outing. I have no idea what was his first, but this one grabs you and doesn't let go. The fact that it was Roger Donaldson's debut probably helps. At the time, Australian cinema was in a golden age. The poor cousins over the Tasman decided to emulate them. Like Australia, the only way the Yarts could destroy the government was with government funding. This dystopic story of the fascist Muldoon government was largely funded by Robert 'Piggy' Muldoon!

Nearly Famous

[Tamaal · 31 January 2004]

As far as I'm aware, Sam Neill's first film - and what a start!

Starring a Kiwi, directed by a Kiwi and packed to the gunwales with Kiwi talent, this is definitely no Hollywood hyperbole extravaganza.Its sole concession to the 'star power' syndrome is the presence of Warren Oates ("Dillinger") as an armed subversive type (I didn't dare to use the dreaded 'T' word!).

The film is under the very capable guidance of the now-also-well-known Roger Donaldson, who was also responsible for another powerful home-grown effort, "Smash Palace". Impressionable youngsters like Peter Jackson may have seen this and decided their futures.

Like Jackson's LOTR trilogy, "Sleeping Dogs" is filmed on location in New Zealand. As such, the sets and scenery give a fair idea of life in provincial and metropolitan NZ in the mid-70's (but there's no stunning vistas of the majestic Southern Alps here, I'm afraid).

"Sleeping Dogs" is an adaptation of a story by New Zealand author C.K.Stead and pits an increasingly autocratic government of the near-future against a group of resistance fighters. Smith (Neill), very recently separated from a cheating wife, pretty much accidentally and quite reluctantly, gets involved with this group.

One scene in the movie was (and still is) something of a talking point here in NZ because it seemed, in hindsight, so chillingly prescient - life imitating art.

In the scene, a large group of protesters have clashed violently with unyielding, merciless, baton-wielding riot police; blood is flowing, injures are rife.

Some five years after the film had been released, in 1981, the then-internationally-banned Springbok rugby team from South Africa were allowed to tour here, despite clamorous local and global opposition.

New Zealand experienced the horrors and scarring of civil division. Wherever the Springboks played and also in the capital, Wellington, violence erupted. And it seemed to many of us at the time that the scenes that Donaldson had shot many years ago were now being replayed almost nightly on the news. Spooky.

Like George Orwell, only far more strange

[tomgillespie2002 · 7/10 · 20 August 2018]

With Sleeping Dogs, director Roger Donaldson near enough single-handedly cemented New Zealand's place on the cinematic map. It was, at the time, the biggest box-office hit the country had seen, and also boasted what is only the second big-screen appearance by Sam Neill. With Ozplotation in full swing just across the water, Sleeping Dogs kicked off a New Wave in New Zealand, with the likes of Donaldson's Smash Palace and Vincent Ward's Vigil following in the subsequent years. The film is odd and off-kilter, but never less than fascinating. Donaldson clearly looked at Adolf Hitler's own rise to power in post-World War I Germany for inspiration, as he depicts a New Zealand of the near future falling foul of a rising dictatorship who are eager to hunt down anybody they believe could belong to a growing band of freedom fighters. It all starts with television reports of fuel strikes across the country, and quickly spirals out of control from there.

The report is being watched by Smith (Neill) as his children write him goodbye letters and his wife sobs in the kitchen. He is the victim of infidelity, so decides to pack up and live off the grid for a while, but not before his wife's new lover Bullen (Ian Mune) arrives before he has even left the house. He spots an island on the Coromandel peninsula, arranging with the Maori owners to live out there untroubled, even exchanging his expensive car for their rusty old boat. He fishes, listens to the radio, and befriends the locals nearby, but his idyllic existence is soon interrupted when the government goes into full crackdown mode, arresting anybody on suspicion of assisting the revolution. He is taken in by the police to be interrogated and tortured, and likely sentenced to death. Seeing no other alternative, Smith takes his chance and escapes his captors, fleeing to a quiet camping ground where he meets a nice local girl. Smith is no guerilla revolutionary and is quite happy to live in ignorant bliss, but when US Army Colonel Willoughby (Warren Oates) arrives with more on his mind than policing the country, it becomes clear that Smith's destiny lies with the uprising, whether he likes it or not.

Donaldson deliberately holds back certain pieces of information to keep the goings-on away from Smith a mystery, making Sleeping Dogs a rather frustrating experience. But frustrating isn't always bad, and here the loose, drifting storyline gives the film a unique style and atmosphere. You're never quite sure where the story will go next, and when Warren Oates arrives with a smile and willingness to party, there's a disorientating sense of unease as the beads of sweat drip off his quivering moustache. Cinematographer Michael Seresin, who would go on to work on the likes of Midnight Express, Angel Heart and the third Harry Potter, captures the country beautifully, imbuing the scenery with a sense of beauty and peace one minute, and a sense of terror the next. It all sounds a bit George Orwell, but it really isn't. It's actually much stranger than that, and has a rich vein of humour throughout, usually stemming from Smith's frustration as he unwillingly grows into a revolutionary leader. In many ways, it mirrors Gary Bond's experience trapped in the small, violent town of Ted Kotcheff's masterpiece Wake in Fright, only with less booze, more humour, and some bizarre turns along the way.

Engaging little Kiwi drama

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 15 November 2018]

SLEEPING DOGS is an engaging little Kiwi drama, quite obviously made on a low budget but nevertheless a film which looks great in high definition even today. It features Sam Neill in his first leading role, playing a mild-mannered ordinary guy who finds himself caught up in political instability following the break-up of his relationship. Mistaken for a terrorist, he finds himself on the run and pursued by the authorities in a hostile world. The film's rural setting looks frequently great, while Neill himself is as good as you'd expect him to be. The film's political futurist plot remains as timely as ever, and there's a real undercurrent of nihilism which keeps it dark and focused.

Interesting

[r_voogd · 7/10 · 14 March 2008]

I recall being confused the first time I saw this film, not long after it was first released, probably due to being young and naive at the time. Having revisited the film 30 years later I find that I have been able to follow the subtleties of the plot more easily.

The movie is a commentary on life's challenges and how one young man - Smith (Sam Neill) - responds to some of these challenges.

I like this movie now because not only does it show something of New Zealand's past and the possibilities the film-makers foresaw (some of which later came to pass as part of NZ history) but because it is an early vehicle for several New Zealand film-maker's craft.

"I got my eye on you, boy."

[Hey_Sweden · 8/10 · 30 June 2019]

A history-making New Zealand production (it was the first to obtain general release in the U.S.), "Sleeping Dogs" is a good, engaging story, based on a novel by Christian K. Stead. It takes place during a tumultuous time in NZ's history, when people were actively rebelling against the government. Sam Neill, in his starring debut, plays Smith, an apolitical man estranged from his family, who does NOT want to get involved. He'd rather live in seclusion on an off-shore island, but people and circumstances keep drawing him into the fray.

Neill is typically solid as a rock, and you can understand his characters' frustration. He's surrounded by good Kiwi actors, including Ian Mune (who also co-wrote the screenplay) as the passionate Bullen, Nevan Rowe as Smiths' activist wife Gloria, Ian Watkin (you may remember him as Uncle Les in Peter Jacksons' "Braindead") as helpful bar owner Dudley, and Clyde Scott as government man Jesperson. Jesperson wants Smith to confess to being a revolutionary in exchange for better treatment, but Smith will have none of that.

Of course, part of the hook of the story is watching Smith resist the inevitable, and wondering if or when he will give in.

Gorgeous NZ scenery, an effective music score, and some good action scenes add to the overall entertainment value. Naturally, many American viewers may be drawn to this upon seeing that the iconic Warren Oates has a "guest star" role. It's a reasonably interesting role that benefits from his unique presence.

This also announced the arrival of filmmaker Roger Donaldson in a big way. In the 80s, he moved to Hollywood when he turned out features like "The Bounty", "No Way Out", "Species", and "Dante's Peak". (His peer Geoff Murphy is credited with special FX; Murphy himself has directed such movies as "Utu", "The Quiet Earth", "Young Guns II", and "Under Siege 2: Dark Territory".)

Overall, a compelling tale well told, that keeps the viewer attentive until its final scenes.

Eight out of 10.

I GUESS YOU HAD TO BE THERE

[kirbylee70-599-526179 · 3/10 · 31 May 2018]

I've gone back and read reviews of this film to find out what others loved about it, to discover why it was considered such a milestone. Upon reading those reviews I gathered it was a milestone because it was unlike anything to come out of New Zealand at the time. That being said I still didn't find myself thinking it was a movie I'd choose to revisit.

Sam Neill stars as Smith, a young man who as the film opens is leaving behind his wife and two daughters. It seems his wife has had an affair with a man named Bullen (Ian Mune) who is now moving in. Smith leaves behind his world and moves on to another area where he enquires about living on an island owned by a Maori tribe. Given permission as well as a dog they don't want, he does so and sets about making a new life for himself there. Among the things he finds in the house still standing is an old military radio.

While this is going on there is unrest in the country. A fuel crisis has led to revolutionaries popping up to lead a rebellion and a police state brought about by their actions. It turns out that Bullen was a leader in the revolutionaries and this has put him and Smith's ex in jeopardy.

Smith returns home one day to find a hole dug on his property. As he's trying to figure out what was in the hole a group of soldiers arrives and take him prisoner while ransacking his house. They find remnants of explosives, what was in the hole, and arrest Smith, taking him to a facility where he is left in a large basement. And ex-schoolmate now an officer gives Smith two options: a formal trial where he will be found guilty and executed or he can plead guilty and leave the country forever.

Smith is then being transported when he escapes and thinks he's found safe haven working at a motel under a new name. Then Bullen shows and tells him the motel is run by revolutionaries and gives him no choice but to follow instructions. A group of soldiers is coming to stay at the motel and Smith is to give a signal at a specified time. I'll stop here with the description since that's most of the movie.

I truly had a hard time with this movie for so many reasons. I could set aside the look of the film, a grainy bland look in all things seen from cityscapes to country sides. But it was more than that I found difficult. The acting felt stilted and put on. The story itself felt disjointed at best and confusing at worst. Why does Smith's wife take up with this revolutionary? What about the kids? Why does Smith seem complacent about leaving? Is he being set up from day one or a victim of circumstance? Most of the movie provides questions rather than answers including the ending.

I'm sure there is a market for the film and in looking at several sites have read reviews that were favorable for the movie. I can't bring myself to do so, even though I'm a fan of the star as well as director Roger Donaldson. I know this was Donaldson's first feature but still I couldn't get into it and found it difficult to watch. Completists will want to add this to their collection though.

Arrow, true to their desire to offer the best presentation possible, is releasing this in a cleaned up blu-ray format. Extras include a commentary track with Donaldson, Neill and Mune, THE MAKING OF SLEEPING DOGS a 65 minute making of featurette, the theatrical trailer, a reversible sleeve with new artwork by Sean Phillips and for the first pressing only in illustrated booklet with new writing on the film by Neil Mitchell, a contemporary review by Pauline Keal and the original press book.

In the long run I'd say this is for fans and completists only.

Welcome to Fascist New Zealand - or America?

[paul-e-conder · 9/10 · 9 December 2006]

'Sleeping Dogs' was the first major New Zealand feature film to find a wider audience.

Featuring a young Sam Neill as a loner caught up by accident in the fight between a Fascist government taking control and those resisting the loss of freedom.

The film is directed by Roger Donaldson (whose main stream movies include 'World's Fastest Indian','Dante's Peak' and 'Species') and is based on the excellent book 'Smith's Dream' by C.K.Stead.

It features Warren Oates (US) and Ian Mune (who co-wrote the screenplay) as well as a cast of other New Zealand regulars.

While action packed the human drama behind the movie is also of interest and the DVD (a double with 'Smash Palace') features an excellent making of documentary highlighting the issues of making a movie in New Zealand in the mid-1970's.

This is an excellent movie which realistically portrays a nation accepting the gradual loss of freedom for all the right reasons - which seems very topical even today.

The story will grip you and the end will... well see it for yourself!

Sleeping Dogs

[jboothmillard · 5/10 · 13 November 2019]

I found this film from New Zealand listed in every edition of the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, I was most interested in it for this reason, but also because it launched the career for the actor best known for Jurassic Park, and it is the directorial debut for New Zealand filmmaker Roger Donaldson (Cocktail, Species, Dante's Peak, The World's Fastest Indian). Basically, Smith (Sam Neill) has left his family, following the break-up of his marriage, caused by his wife having an affair with another man named Bullen (Ian Mune). Smith has moved out and arranged to live alone on the Coromandel peninsula on an island owned by a Maori tribe. Meanwhile, a revolutionary struggle escalates as an oil embargo leaves the country in an energy crisis. Political tension boils over into a civil war between leftist guerillas and the New Zealand government. However, Smith and his dog enjoy a peaceful island life, having little interaction with the rest of society. Smith's idyllic life is shattered when a bomb is exploded in a nearby town, and police arrive on his island to arrest him and search for illegal weapons. After a number of explosives that Smith had been unaware of are found, he is arrested by the police, his dog is left behind. Smith is imprisoned, interrogated and tortured. Jesperson (Clyde Scott) tells Smith that the government regard him as a key leader of the guerrillas, it is unclear if he had been framed or it is an innocent mistake. He is offered expulsion from New Zealand if he makes a confession, or he will face trial with a likely death sentence. During a prison transfer, Smith forces himself to be sick, causing a confusion for the captors, he then jumps out of the moving vehicles and makes his escape. Smith manages to flee the city and finds work in a small holiday camp and forms a relationship with a local girl. He is glad to be away from the civil war again and blends in, but then a US Army unit arrives and takes over the grounds. Smith clashes with the US forces commander Colonel Willoughby (Warren Oates) who has suspicions about his intentions during the conflict. The matter is complicated more by the arrival of Bullen, who is now a senior leader of the underground guerrilla movement. As the US forces capture and kill more rebels, Smith is unwillingly to join Bullen in an attack on the military unit. Following the unsuccessful attack on the unit, Smith and Bullen flee together to a nearby forest, where they are pursued and cornered by government forces. Government forces surround the guerrillas and bomb their encampment, but Smith and Bullen escape. But they are again cornered by Jesperson and his elite squad, and Bullen is severely wounded. They manage to stumble through the woods and make it to the clearing, and they are relieved as they believe they have evaded capture. But the squad reappear, Bullen is killed, and Smith provokes Jesperson into shooting him. Also starring Nevan Rowe as Gloria, Ian Watkin as Dudley and Donna Akersten as Mary. Neill proves himself as an up-and-coming talent as the innocent reclusive man unintentionally drawn into a battle between freedom fighters and democracy, Oates does alright in his time onscreen as well. Set in a near future of economic collapse, I will be honest and say I didn't understand all the political stuff, but for the moments of guns blazing, military conflict, violence and characters going on the run, it is an interesting dramatic action thriller. Worth watching!

Impressive in its context

[scroff · 12 January 2005]

I remember trying to see this film when I was 12 or 13 but the friend who bought the tickets ending up buying tickets for The Magic Roundabout and the Blue Cat. What a disappointment at the time.

Seeing it for the first time subsequently, the optimum word is prescient. Donaldson showed scenes that were fresh and on a scale never scene in NZ cinema before. Skyhawks dropping bombs on the terrorists (Mune and Neill). "Spooky" is the word most used by those who have commented in this forum.

Having met Carl Stead last year in London, I was impressed by his philosophy regarding the films success in NZ at the time. Comprimises were made to the author's chagrin but in the end the story fulfilled its cinematic requirements. Donaldson along with Geoff Murphy were pioneers of a new revolution in film-making for New Zealand.

The first NZ film I had seen that opened up the dark under belly of an immature and isolated nation in troubled times.

The movie is dated now but the impact in context of the time it was made is undeniable.

Good Thriller

[Rodrigo_Amaro · 9/10 · 23 April 2011]

In one of the most acclaimed films coming from New Zealand, Sam Neill plays Smith, a simple man turned into a dangerous one after being confused as a rebel from a resistance group that fights against the new government. Now he has the run from the police and the army to save his life and the only ones who can help him are the same members of the resistance that caused him trouble, including Bullen (Ian Mune), who had an affair with Smith's wife.

There's a few gaps in the narrative, some things are half explained and others don't get any explanation at all, also a lack of idealism or reasons to explain why there's a conflict between the rebels and the government, and all that made the film less appealing, and very confusing. Both sides of the political tensions are presented equally distant from us, so we can't decide which one is right and which one is wrong; our empathy must stay at all time with Neill's character, who is an enigma to us, we don't know what was his occupation before his life gets shattered, and he got framed as terrorist because someone planted guns in his boat. But the story tells us this guy's very smart, he knows combative techniques, some tricks under the sleeve (his escape from the police car by forcing a vomit was incredible).

In his first film director Roger Donaldson makes a very good thriller, effectively tense, and with good moments and great performances (includes a special appearance from Warren Oates as an American military who is following the rebels). A higher focus on the political aspects and placing the characters motivations more on the surface would make this film perfect. 9/10

Meh

[gillesmuyshondt · 5/10 · 13 January 2024]

This film is pretty weird.

It sort of takes place a fascist New Zealand which can be interesting in itself but the story is not good at all. It's kind of all over the place. I never really understood what was going on and I felt like that wasn't my fault. (could be my fault haha).

The acting is not too good and the crucial moments don't come across.

But there are some very nice shots. New Zealand is a beautiful country and they certainly show that in this film! Something that does bother me very much is the fact that Smith gives exactly nothing about his children. The only thing he cares about is himself.

Another favorite of mine!

[crystalart · 8/10 · 26 May 2011]

Today I finally got a DVD of "Sleeping Dogs" and got to watch it in a wide-screen version for the first time.

As a big fan of Warren Oates, I was first interested in this film because of his character.

His film "Dillinger" is frequently mentioned, and I also recall his excellent work in "Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia", "Black Thunder" and "Badlands".

In "Sleeping Dogs", it's impossible to ignore Sam Neill as he struggles to survive forces outside his control.

I don't know if it's his first film or not, however it's the first one I recall ever seeing him.

Coincidentally, I'm also watching the new DVD release of "Max Headroom", and it's hard to keep the two films from intermixing.

Repressive governments, random violence, all the things that make films like both of these fun to watch again and again.

In this genre, I would also add "Brazil".

"1984" goes without saying.

i was confused

[mattkratz · 17 December 2005]

I was slightly confused by the content of this movie. From what I gathered, Sam Neill's character was a family man whose wife had an affair, and he was then mistaken for a guerrilla. There was plenty of guerrilla warfare on the streets who were trying to protest something. I couldn't quite gather what it was. There were plenty of shoot-em-up scenes on the streets and in the wilderness when Neil was trying to escape and clear his name. Other than that, I thought the movie was decent. The scene where he was imprisoned in a dank jail cell was harrowing and unforgettable, and I loved the part where he vomits on the guards to escape from the transport car. I sort of liked the movie and might recommend it.

** 1/2 out of ****

Compelling Dystopian Political Thriller

[Theo Robertson · 8/10 · 18 November 2012]

I first saw this on Channel 4 away back in 1986 and as far as I know it was its only broadcast on British network television and was impossible to find in the preceding years . It was a film that stayed in my memory and I often wondered if it was as good as I remembered . After just seeing it again after an interval of more than 25 years I'm happy to report that my memory hasn't cheated and is every bit as good as I remember it

My own knowledge of New Zealand is that it's a country of great natural wilderness . It's slightly bigger than mainland Britain but only has a population of 4 million . New Zealanders I have met have been uniformly friendly and any conversation quickly gets round to either rugby or hiking in the mountains and forests of their homeland . The only complaint Kiwis have of their country is that life there is very mundane and boring . Bearing this mind the scenario of SLEEPING DOGS means if life is grim as it is seen here what hope is there for the rest of humanity ?

From a film making point of view it's a movie that is rather flat and low key and this shouldn't be taken in any negative way . The budget could have been bigger but instead of spectacle we're shown the very human elements of political chaos . By that I mean people just want to get on with their lives but are unable to due to a violently repressive state on one side and revolutionaries trying to the state by a system of government that may be just as bad

It's interesting how much resonance the film has with New Zealanders on this page but when the film was produced and indeed when I saw it in the mid 1980s the scenario was being played out for real in the killing fields of South America where people would simply " disappear " if they'd make their political ideas too well known to the wrong people . Thankfully we've moved on from the dystopian future as seen here

Interesting Sam Neil debut

[tonypeacock-1 · 8/10 · 12 April 2020]

Interesting film I stumbled across that has an interesting plot of state totalitarianism during a fictional revolution in New Zealand after an oil embargo on the country. Stuck in the middle of these events and inadvertently drawn into them is Smith played by Sam Neill in his debut film appearance.

He begins the film estranged from his family life when his wife has an extramarital affair with 'Bullen' (Ian Mune) who later becomes the leader of the underground guerrilla movement in the country beset by a civil war that even involves the U.S. army.

Showcasing the breathtaking scenery of New Zealand it is unbelievably the first major feature from the country that went on to be the backdrop of major films such as The Lord Of The Rings films.

Director Roger Donaldson brings a thrilling film to international audiences launching the New Zealand film industry in the process.

As for Neill (and Donaldson) Hollywood beckoned.

Crackerjack early NZ action film

[rdoyle29 · 8/10 · 1 August 2017]

Sam Neill stars, in his 2nd feature film, as Smith, a man who leaves his family when his wife takes up with another man, and moves to an island where he is the only resident. While he's on the island, political turmoil in New Zealand worsens and a form of martial law is declared. Smith is framed as a terrorist and arrested. Facing certain execution, he escapes and goes on the run, eventually hooking up with Bullen (Ian Mune), the man who had stolen his wife. This is the first feature made in New Zealand that received international distribution, and it's readily apparent why. Neill is a magnetic screen presence, and the film has the ramshackle appeal of the best small action films of the 70's. Warren Oates even appears in a small role as a US army officer.

But not sleeping viewer

[searchanddestroy-1 · 12 October 2022]

Good and even excellent first movie from director Roger Donaldson, from New Zealand, who will later go and proceed his career to Hollywood, as Lee Tamahori. I was surprised to see here Warren Oates in this amazing movie, very violent and gloomy. I don't think we could have found such a topic in Europe or even the USA at this time. It denounces political extremist measures and facist parties ready to take power. The most important is the Sam Neill - young Sam Neill - character, an ordinary man, as you and me, who gets involved in chaos, a total nightmare that will eventually destroy him. I like this anti Hollywoodian movie, despite the fact that the director was still a bit clumsy in his skills to make this interesting feature.