Battlestar Galactica

Edward James Olmos hits the theaters this week in the feature film Beverly Hills Chihuahua, which title alone indicates is a far cry from the thoughtful darkness and questioning of Battlestar Galactica. EJO gives voice to a doberman pincher in the Walt Disney feature, which stars Drew Barrymore as the title pooch.

Although the plot is predictably panned, the voice actors are getting early raves from publications like The Hollywood Reporter.

The plot of the movie surrounds a pampered pooch who is inadvertently left behind in Mexico. In her efforts to get home she encounters crazy characters and character-building adventures in classic Walt Disney form. Olmos’ character is reportedly involved in the more dangerous side of being a dog, those canines that are bred for fighting at the pleasure and profit of professional gamblers. Hopefully EJO can help make it clear to the audience who the real villains are in that scenario. I understand there is an amazing German Shepherd voiced by Andy Garcia as well, so there is definitely hope that it is the humans (and not the dogs) who will be shown as the instigators of dog-fighting for profit.

There have already been concerns about the film’s ethnic stereotypes, but people familiar with EJO’s career see that as the least of the concerns … the veteran actor and latino activist is not likely to sign on to a film that is insensitive to the point of being offensive. Of larger concern is the long history of canine theft and tragedy that tends to follow popular dog films aimed at children. To lessen the fears of dog-lovers, Disney partnered with PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) to warn people about purchasing dogs from unproven breeders or adopting pets without a plan for their care.