Autumn and the Black Jaguar

MOVIE TITLE: Autumn and the Black Jaguar

This lovely film premiered in theaters on January 17, 2025.

RATING: PG

LENGTH: 1 hour 40 minutes

Movie Review Mom GRADE: B+

IN A NUTSHELL:

The story is about the incredible bond formed between a girl and a wild jaguar cub when they were both living in the Amazon rainforest. She and her father have to return home to New York City; however, her childhood village in the jungle is under threat and she decides to go back to the Amazon to save them and find her beloved jaguar.

The film was directed by Gilles de Maistre. Writing credits go to his wife, Prune de Maistre. He describes this film as a “new kind of cinema.” He stated that all of his movies have spoken out against injustice, inequalities, oppression, and crime. This film does the same, focusing on protecting animals. His desire is to speak to families in a poetic way, not lecturing them.

The film is described as a spiritual remake of Mia and the White Lion.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Adults drink alcohol
We see a live, huge tarantula. EEK!
We see a nude pregnant belly on an Indian woman
Teenagers speak some profanity
Some Spanish is spoken without subtitles.
Talk of a woman who got killed by an animal trafficker
The main girl, Autumn, puts herself in a dangerous situation with a wild animal

THEMES:

Environmentalism
Animal activism
Destruction and deforestation of the Amazon
Trust your wings
Poaching and trafficking animals
Take action
Parenting and family
Our effects on the natural world

THINGS I LIKED:

It’s really fun to see a black jaguar like the one featured in the movie. It makes you wish you could cuddle with it like the main character in the movie dies.
Lumi Pollack plays the strong-willed and feisty teenager with a heart of gold for animals.
Emily Bett Rickards offers the comic relief as the overly-anxious, biology teacher.
We see a lot of character growth among the two main characters. They’re also able to learn to appreciate the unique strengths of each other.
Absolutely gorgeous cinematography by Olivier Laberge.
We get to see lots of wild animals in the jungle.
They used 2 jaguars in the filming that were rescued from Mexican breeders (the animal trade is legal in Mexico). Before filming, they spent a year imprinting the cubs with Airam, who plays the young Autumn in the story. After filming, both jaguars were taken to a wildlife sanctuary.
The animal coordinators spent a year living with the cubs before filming.
The film was shot in Mexico.
Did you know that only 15,000 jaguars are left in the wild in the world?
Since you can’t take jaguars anywhere, the crew had to build a fake river and canopy. They also used green screens but tried to rely more on practical effects, which I always appreciate.
The people in the village chant in Spanish: “A united village will not be overcome!”
Keep watching while the final credits roll for another scene that shows a continuation of the story.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

The premise is based on the idea that a high school teacher would spontaneously abandon her class and race to an airport to purchase an international airline ticket to the jungle to stop one of her students from making a mistake.
The female villain says such absurd things.
We see a massive tarantula! EEK!
There are some unrealistic things like the fact that a cell phone has worked for days in the jungle without needing a charge.

FUNNY LINES:

“You are Wonder Woman.” – Autumn (Lumi Pollack)

INTERESTING LINES:

“It’s not in my head; it’s in my heart.” – Autumn Edison (Lumi Pollack)
“You know all that and yet you do nothing about it?” – Autumn (Lumi Pollack)
“Trust your wings.” – Ore (Wayne Charles Baker)
“Humans did not weave the web of life. We are a mere thread in that web. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.” – Anja (Emily Bett Rickards)
“Don’t listen to your fears. Go!” – Ore (Wayne Charles Baker)
“You have the power to change your destiny. Don’t be afraid.” – Anja (Emily Bett Rickards)
“Never abandon your ideals. Nothing is impossible.” – Anja (Emily Bett Rickards)

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