The Epic Conclusion: Unveiling Reggie's Revenge on Doug in Strays – Exclusive Insights from the Director!

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Strays!

Summary

Filming the perplexing finale of Strays posed immense challenges, pushing Strays star Will Forte to personally undertake his own stunt for an arduous four-hour duration.

This film has provoked a division among viewers, garnering mixed reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Its jolting impact and unflinching brutality may not resonate with those in search of a whimsical and cheerful talking dog movie.

Strays, despite its controversy, offers a distinctive viewpoint, and its brutal ending aligns with the film's overarching themes. Josh Greenbaum, the director of Strays, is eager to discuss the peculiar conclusion. While many canine-centered movies revolve around the ideas of family and companionship, Strays focuses solely on vengeance. This daring and explicit R-rated film follows Reggie, portrayed by Will Ferrell, who relentlessly seeks retribution against his abusive and neglectful owner, Doug (Will Forte). With the assistance of several intelligent dogs, Reggie finally attains a sense of self-worth and exacts the harshest form of revenge possible by castrating Doug.

The ending of Strays is truly shocking. In addition to the discussion of Reggie's vengeance, the scene takes an even more surprising turn with Hunter losing control of his bowels on Doug's face. In an interview with Collider, Greenbaum reveals the painstaking process behind capturing this moment and the immense effort it took from Forte. Rather than using a stunt double, Forte remained in position for an arduous four-hour shoot while the crew worked tirelessly to achieve the perfect shot. Take a look at Greenbaum's explanation below:

"There were various challenging shots throughout the film, but let me speak specifically about Will Forte. The shot you just witnessed at the very end is in super slow motion. We filmed it at 1000 frames per second, resulting in an incredibly delayed frame rate. Using a motion control machine, the cameras swiftly moved from one point to another. We conducted multiple takes and layered them all to create the final shot. It's a panning shot that captures Doug lying on the ground, being pulled by the dogs, with fire in the background, Reggie going wild on Doug's crotch, and finally, Hunter (Randall Park) turning around. It's one continuous, lengthy shot. This particular shot was extremely challenging, taking over four hours to shoot, and all credit goes to Will Forte for dedicating himself to lying there for more than four hours without complaint."

Strays Is Not A Typical Talking Dog Movie

We could have utilized a body double. I kept mentioning, "We have your stunt double," and he responded, "I'm perfectly fine!" He is genuinely the kindest man. Accomplishing that particular shot was extremely challenging. Our remarkable VFX team skillfully composited it together. Although it predominantly consists of traditional elements without any CG, they were layered together every time the camera moved. That's one instance. I'm sure I'm overlooking others... but that was a significant one.

Strays is not your typical talking dog movie, featuring an adorable canine protagonist. Instead of catering to a young audience, this film takes a unique approach. The dogs in Strays use explicit language, engage in sexual activities, and tackle heavy themes of abuse and abandonment. While it remains a comedy, the movie relies on dark humor to deliver its impactful ending. Unlike most talking dog films geared towards children, Strays sets itself apart in its edgier content.

The film Strays is generating a mixed response, as evidenced by its Rotten Tomatoes scores. With a Tomatometer score of 54% and an audience score of 75%, Strays is becoming quite divisive. This comes as no big shock since the film heavily relies on shock and brutality to enhance its comedic elements. Those who anticipate an R-rated version of DC's League of Superpets will likely be greatly disappointed.

There is still value in Strays, despite what may be perceived. It effectively addresses common themes found in talking dog movies but also introduces a fresh perspective. Rather than Reggie finding forgiveness for Doug, the film ends with a depiction of brutal revenge. This ending flawlessly captures the essence of Strays, perhaps explaining Greenbaum's unwavering dedication to its perfection.