It’s really not that complicated. Kids love dogs.
Dogs love kids. Separate them at your peril.
So despite obvious efforts to link the beloved
and durable “Clifford” story, about a huge dog
and the little girl who loves him, to a bigger
and more current message in the CGI-meets-
live action “Clifford the Big Red Dog, ” it really
isn’t necessary. You had us at “Clifford.”
On some levels the film, directed by Walt
Becker, understands this, giving us plenty of
lovely, warmhearted scenes between Clifford
and young Emily Elizabeth (an appealing Darby
Camp) that show it knows its core audience:
young children. And for them, it will work fine.