Off the Chain (2005 Video) User Reviews

Well done film on a very difficult subject

[chris_n_malone · 8/10 · 26 July 2007]

One of the top things on my priority list when a documentary touches on tough subject matter is fairness, were both sides of the story told fairly. I think this documentary does that. Going into this film I thought that people who fought dogs were sick, evil, and twisted. Leaving this film I feel even stronger about this, but at least two of the people engaged in this appalling activity were given the opportunity to explain their mentality, as off-base as I felt it was. There was a most horrifying scene that I can still hear, you'll know it when you see it; there were also some very graphic pictures of these poor animals, but going into this movie you should expect that. It does a good job of describing where this spectacle originated and how it developed to the point that it is today. It also does a fair job defending the pit bull terrier, but I think that they may have done this up a little too much. My 2 primary criticisms are that 1. Most of the information (history, etc.) comes at you in the first 10 minutes where I would prefer it be spread out through the film 2. It's vague as to where in the United States this is occurring most often.

Overall this film was very good. It got some information out there and was very powerful, hopefully the controversy surrounding Michael Vick will encourage more people to educate themselves on this subject matter.

Great Film-but one highly disturbing scene

[JohnnyFractious · 10/10 · 6 September 2006]

This is a great movie, all in all. It defends a wonderful breed of dog, and hopefully it will help to bring about some understanding of the pit bull.

One thing that I feel I should mention is how much power this film has. It really left me sickened by the human race...how we can do this to other living, breathing, thinking beings is a real eye opener. I knew about dog fighting for a while, in fact I got my dog from a fighting family, but to be reminded of it in such a brutal way is very saddening.

The most disturbing scene of all involves a pit bull puppy being electrocuted to death. I coulndn't watch it, I had to look away. When it was over, my friend and I were both in tears. This is a pretty amazing thing, the only other movie that I ever cried over was American History X. I recommend looking away when this scene comes on-it haunted me for days, and I only saw a second of it. hit your mute button, too-the sounds of whimpering was what brought me to tears.

I do highly recommend this movie as a defense to pit bulls and an educational movie about them, and also as a film that explains that pit bulls are not bad dogs by nature. I also recommend this film as a good luck at human nature-the fact that we like to watch animals rip each other apart for fun. It's shocking, and it'll make you think.

This is not about vicious dogs, it's about vicious people

[fzdybel · 10/10 · 18 July 2007]

This movie is an expose of dog fighting. When I first watched this movie, after I stopped crying, I wrote my state representative to request harsher penalties for this crime. If we are going to have capital crimes, I'm not sure why this shouldn't be one.

If you like dogs, or love any particular dogs, there are scenes in this movie you may not be able to watch. Not just one scene, but several scenes. Do not allow children to view this movie. Besides the executions of the "cowardly" dogs, which are quite painful to view, the dog fights themselves are horrific beyond description. The stories and pictures of the canine survivors and their wounds are grisly. The sophistry coming from the mouth of one of these exploitative "trainers"under interview was enough to make me want to smash the screen with my fist. You could say the film had a strong effect on me.

This movie is in NO WAY an indictment of the American Pit Bull Terrier or any of the related breeds such as the American Staffordshire Terrier. Far from it, the movie makes it clear that these dogs have a long history of loyal service and friendship, and that they are favored for these fights largely because, apart from their physical characteristics, they are totally involved emotionally with their human handlers. This makes them extremely trainable. When you learn that the dogs are rewarded for a good fight by being allowed finally to sleep with their "trainers,"at last to experience some affection from a human being, you will finally understand the depth of the emotional abuse required to turn these wonderful and sensitive creatures into killers.

A great insight to the underworld of dog fighting

[retrodav · 10/10 · 6 September 2005]

I gave this film a rating of 10+++, because the American Pit Bull needs to be defended and rescued. OFF THE CHAIN discusses all sides of the issue fairly and reveals a lot of the seedy, vile underpinnings of the dog fight industry. You will definitely feel disgusted by the completely amoral behavior of the dogmen in this movie and learn the untold story behind a greatly misunderstood American breed. Finally someone is defending a breed that under normal training and circumstance can be a loyal family friend to many. With the ever increasing negative public image leading to laws allowing the banning of this breed, this movie has arrived just in time. Thanks to Mr. Gearity and Mr. Brown for an inspiring expose.

Waste of time, money and energy

[rallylizard · 1/10 · 1 January 2007]

This "movie" is an AR launch point for "pit bull" haters. They show both extremes; the dumbest wanna-be dogfighters in the planet vs. greenie SPCA/HS officers, neither of which know or understand the APBT at all. They associate ALL dogfighting with drugs, gangsters and other forms of violence and make the casual dog owner look like a saint. There are millions of registered APBT's and AmStaff's in the U.S. and maybe 3 deaths a year. My dogs have been bit by more labs and shepherds than anything else. This movie is completely biased towards the Humane Societies AR views and it is an attempt to get common people "educated" that pitbulls are all inherently dog aggressive and those who own them do so for a tough appearance. My APBT's are ALL BIG BABIES, not a vicious bone in their bodies and they win weightpull and SchH events every month. These dogs are no more likely to fight then any other dog and dogfighting has only been part of breeding programs for the last 200 years. These dogs have been around for over 2,000 years! Don't let this movie be an excuse for the SPCA/Humane Society to put down "trained to fight" dogs. Most of these dogs are left for dead because they REFUSE to fight at all! And the SPCA/HS still put them down... this movie is total, twisted garbage. Save your money and read a book.

Don't ban the breed, ban the deed

[aebrown1910 · 10/10 · 3 September 2005]

I gave this film a rating of 10, because the American Pit Bull needs a voice to speak for them. And "OFF THE CHAIN" has don't that. It is true that these dogs can be vicious, but they are train to be that way, just as children are molded by their parents, circumstances, media and number of things. If nurture with love and care. Children can grow to be caring and loving adults. I am a pit bull owner myself for over 30 years. My dogs are very much loved. I feel sorry for these dogs and my heart does go out to them. I can't imaged how people who could love such a cruel sport. And these people are fathers to children. What has our society grown into. Thank you for this unbiased and truthful film.