K-9

Directed by Rod Daniel, K-9 follows James Belushi’s Michael Dooley as he reluctantly agrees to partner up with a German Shepherd named Jerry Lee – with the narrative detailing the mismatched cops’ efforts at taking down a menacing drug lord (Kevin Tighe’s Ken Lyman). Filmmaker Daniel, working from Steven Siegel and Scott Myers’ screenplay, delivers an uneven but mostly entertaining buddy-cop movie that benefits from its brisk pace and affable performances, with, in terms of the latter, Belushi’s typically charming turn as the fast-talking protagonist, coupled with his and Jerry Lee’s agreeable chemistry, carrying the proceedings through its more aggressively erratic stretches. (Tighe’s mustache-twirling efforts remain a highlight, as well.) And while the whole thing never becomes more than an extremely mild diversion, K-9, which also features some seriously appealing late ’80s production design, is a decent-enough action comedy that fares better than one might’ve anticipated.

**1/2 out of ****