100% Wolf

Cert: PG, in cinemas now

Not content with bar mitzvahs or lion slaying, werewolves mark the entrance into adulthood of a youngster with a “warfing” ceremony on their 14th birthday. This doesn’t go to plan for Freddy Lupin (voiced by Ilai Swindells) who emerges from a puff of moon smoke as a pink poodle. With his father no longer around to protect him, Freddy’s bloodline is questioned by rivals in the pack who need a strong leader to continue their fight against the town dogs. He is cast out into the streets to prove he has what it takes.

He teams up with a scrappy street pooch (Samara Weaving, niece of Hugo) and together they negotiate a strange ice cream vendor on their tail and fall foul of the dogcatcher. Things, inevitably, get ruff.

While crammed with the cheeky humour and elasticated action animated films require these days, this Australian production is a little too busy on plot at the start. Alexs Stadermann’s film doesn’t make enough effort to bring you up to speed on things, as if it were a sequel. Concentrate on the laughs and feline hijinks and it makes for workmanlike entertainment, however.