Why a 2019 animated film about royal corgis became a critical catastrophe
In short: The Queen's Corgi promised a lighthearted romp through Buckingham Palace, but it delivered a bizarre tonal clash that left critics horrified. With a rare zero percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film serves as a cautionary tale about mixing G-rated aesthetics with themes that are decidedly not for children.
Produced by the Belgian studio nWave Pictures and directed by Ben Stassen and Vincent Kesteloot, The Queen's Corgi was intended to be a charming animated comedy. The plot centers on Rex, a pampered corgi belonging to Queen Elizabeth II, who finds himself lost after a diplomatic incident involving U.S. President Donald Trump. What follows is a journey through a dog shelter, a romance with a Saluki named Wanda, and a power struggle against a jealous rival named Charlie.
Despite its high-profile premise, the film was a box-office failure, grossing $31.4 million against a $20 million budget. The critical reception was even harsher. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 0% approval rating based on 20 reviews. Critics like Clarisse Loughrey of The Independent labeled it deeply unpleasant, while others, including Nathan Rabin, noted that the script felt like a jarring collision between a crude, adult-oriented comedy and a family-friendly film about cute puppies.
The primary point of contention was the inclusion of mature, often dark, subject matter in a film marketed to families. Reviews highlighted references to domestic violence, nymphomania, and social shaming, which many found wildly inappropriate for the target audience. The Canberra Times described the film as an appalling exercise in misjudgment, arguing that the adult concepts were far too explicit for children. Ultimately, the film remains a notable example of how a failure to define a target audience can lead to a project that satisfies neither adults nor children.
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