Call of the Wild movie review by Movie Review Mom

MOVIE TITLE:    CALL OF THE WILD

RATING:  PG

LENGTH:  1 hour, 40 minutes

Movie Review Mom GRADE:   B+

IN A NUTSHELL:

Buck is a remarkable dog, based on the beloved novel The Call of the Wild by Jack London. What makes this remake of the charming story especially new and different is that the dog is 100% CGI! Director Chris Sanders made a digital scan of the animal shelter dog his wife adopted. It’s a cross between a St. Bernard and a Scotch Shepherd, the exact same mixed breed as the dog in Jack London’s book. This the live-action directorial debut of Chris Sanders. He previously directed the animated movie How to Train Your Dragon.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

• Your kids are going to want a dog after seeing this movie.
• Representation of animal cruelty: some humans beat animals.
• No profanity, except one time when the word “hell” is used as an exclamation.
• Alcohol, a couple of bar scenes, drunken behavior.
• Some violence by punching and shooting a gun.
• Talk of death, as well as portrayal of death.
• You see Harrison Ford topless in a lake

THEMES:

• We all have to go on our own spiritual journey to find out who we really are.
• Overcoming adversity
• “We are all tied up together.” –  Perot   (Omar Sy)
• We all feel joy when we belong to a pack.
• Jealousy
• Greed
• Friendship
• Loss of a loved one
• Hope

THINGS I LIKED:

• The CGI of Buck, the dog, is extremely impressive..most of the time.  All of the other animals in the film are also CGI, including timberwolves, a bear, deer, and rabbits.  Some moments, however, the animals look super fake.  We’re so spoiled with technology, right?
• The cinematography and green screen work are blended extremely well.  You’ll almost feel the warm sun on your face in some scenes and shiver in the snow in other ones as you visit Alaska and the Yukon territory.
• Omar Sy did a really great job with his character.  He was likable and believable.
• Who doesn’t love Harrison Ford?  Well, probably President Trump after Ford’s recent rants.  And a bunch of people who were offended by the name-calling and are now boycotting the movie because of it.  The only thing I didn’t like about Harrison Ford in this movie was seeing him look so old.
• I thought the idea of using illustrations at the very beginning to establish the setting was a nice touch, both to take us back in time and to give a respectful nod to the original novel.
• The audience I watched the movie with at a press screening LOVED the movie and reacted to EVERYTHING in a way that would have made the filmmakers and actors proud.
• You see some beautiful nature and scenery.
• I enjoyed the camera angles from the dog’s point of view and would have liked to see more.
• It was fun to watch Buck experience snow for the first time.  I remember when our family dog did too.
• I LOVED seeing the Aurora Borealis!  Seeing the Northern Lights has been on my Bucket List for many years.  I’m finally going to see them this year!  Well, at least I’ve planned a trip to Iceland, so I hope I get to see them there!
• I didn’t think Alaska had fireflies and thought the director just threw them into a scene to make it more magical, but when I Googled it, I learned that there are!  Cool.  I love them.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

• The size of Buck, the dog, changes in various scenes.
• He is given a LOT of human emotions and behavior that isn’t quite correct for canines.  For example, somehow Buck understands the dangers of drinking alcohol, so he hides a bottle of alcohol from someone.
• I adore Dan Stevens, so I didn’t think the character he plays in this movie really showcases his talents.
• I’m always pleased to see Karen Gillan, so I was disappointed that she only had a few lines for a few minutes in the film.  I love her in the Guardians of the Galaxy (Theatrical) and Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle franchises.
• I also get a kick out of Bradley Whitford in everything he does, so I wished I could have seen more of him in this film too.
• There are some details that aren’t accurate or make sense.  Try not to let them bother you.

FUNNY LINES:

 * “I think your dog is broken.” –   Perot’s wife   (Cara Gee)

INTERESTING LINES:

• “He was beaten, but he was not broken.” – John Thornton  (Harrison Ford)
• “We don’t carry mail.  We carry lives.  We carry hope.  We carry love.”   – Perot   (Omar Sy)
• “You never know what’s coming.” – John Thornton   (Harrison Ford)

WANT TO READ THE FAMOUS BOOK BY JACK LONDON?

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