Here’s a strange bit of home-video trivia: Watchers II made it to Blu-ray before the movie it followed. Universal barely gave the original a theatrical release, and its limited December 1988 run brought in a measly $940,173. Somehow, that didn’t stop the property from producing three sequels. Now, Arrow Video’s Toy Robot sub-label is finally giving the original Watchers its proper North American Blu-ray debut. Better late than never, especially for a movie whose most memorable performer has four legs.

An explosion at a secret research facility sets two experiments loose. One is a golden retriever with extraordinary intelligence. The other is OXCOM, a genetically engineered killing machine programmed to hunt him down. The dog eventually crosses paths with Travis (Corey Haim, The Lost Boys), a small-town teenager living with his mother, Nora (Barbara Williams, Thief of Hearts). Meanwhile, government operative Lem (Michael Ironside, Scanners) is determined to contain the situation, though his methods aren’t exactly reassuring. Haim was just 16 at the time, a few years removed from Silver Bullet, and reportedly won studio approval almost immediately.

That studio was Carolco, riding high on the success of the Rambo films and keeping a tight grip on everything from the screenplay to the creature design. Makeup artist David Miller (A Nightmare on Elm Street) had to run oxygen lines through the OXCOM suit so performer Phillip Wong could make it through the longer takes. Joel Goldsmith, son of legendary composer Jerry Goldsmith, handled the score, and keep your eyes peeled for a young Jason Priestley making a brief appearance on a bicycle.

Unfortunately, the movie never finds the right balance between its science-fiction premise, teenage adventure, and monster-movie ambitions. Dean Koontz’s original novel featured an adult protagonist and considerably more emotional complexity, much of which gets tossed aside in favor of chases and increasingly ridiculous confrontations. By the time the final act rolls around, the movie seems determined to deliver three endings for the price of one, with logic getting trampled somewhere along the way. OXCOM doesn’t help matters, either. The creature spends much of its screen time lurking in darkness, and the occasional clearer glimpse suggests that keeping it hidden was probably a wise decision.

Yet there’s something undeniably endearing about Watchers, and almost all of it comes down to the relationship between Travis and his unusually gifted canine companion. Haim brings an appealing warmth to the role, but here’s the strange thing: the dog is arguably the best actor in the entire movie. Seriously. There’s something almost eerie about how expressive his face is, particularly those eyes, which seem to register every bit of confusion, concern, and intelligence the screenplay asks us to believe he possesses. At times, his reactions feel more convincing than those of the human actors around him. It’s a remarkable little performance, made all the more entertaining because you occasionally catch yourself wondering just how much of what’s happening this dog actually understands.

That bond gives Watchers a genuine sweetness that the surrounding mayhem never quite manages to destroy. It’s a messy, frequently silly adaptation with a monster best left to the imagination, but there’s enough charm in Haim’s performance and his furry costar to keep it entertaining. The movie may not be much of a pedigree, but its leading dog is absolutely best in show.