Catch ‘The Call of the Wild’ for Alaska’s natural beauty
If you’re old enough to have enjoyed those “Wonderful World of Disney” TV shows that at times featured animal adventures, you’ll like “The Call of the Wild.”
If you’re not old enough to have spent your Sunday nights watching that series but it sounds like a good idea, you’ll also enjoy “The Call of the Wild.”
Even if you don’t care about some old TV show at all, you could still find something to enjoy in this movie.
The latest version of “The Call of the Wild” features Harrison Ford, who serves as narrator and plays one of the
main characters, John Thornton. But the real stars of the movie are Buck, the huge CGI dog at the center of the action, and the gorgeous Alaskan scenery where the story unfolds.
“The Call of the Wild” is a fascinating movie, visually. Some of the computer-generated scenes with the dogs are fun to watch and the expansive Alaskan landscape is stunning.
It’s based on the classic novel, “The Call of the Wild,” by Jack London. The movie doesn’t strictly adhere to the plot of the book, but it’s close enough to be recognizable to anyone familiar with London’s work.
The story begins with Buck, a 140pound St. Bernard-Scotch shepherd mix, living it up as a spoiled, pampered pet of a California judge. That changes when the dog’s size and strength catches the eye of a shady character who kidnaps Buck and sells him into service as a sled dog during the Alaskan gold rush.
Upon arrival in Alaska, Buck is quickly scooped up by a kindly French Canadian couple (played by Omar Sy and Cara Gee) looking to replace a dog on their Yukon mail delivery team. While the couple is kind, they need Buck to do hard work and it takes him a while to adapt.
But Buck does adapt to life in the wild north and though his ownership changes hands, he continues to grow from a spoiled brat to a heroic animal. And throughout that journey he increasingly gets in touch with his wild side.
Those familiar with Jack London’s story know there is some violence in “The Call of the Wild.” The movie version does a good job of shielding the audience from some of that, however. The infamous scene where the “man in the red sweater” introduces Buck to the “law of the club” is seen mostly in shadows. In another example, the fight between Buck and Spitz, the pack leader, doesn’t end in death.
Most of the violence in the movie happens to people (Ford sure takes a beating), and it isn’t particularly explicit so the movie should be safe for most kids. The action might be a bit intense for young ones, however.
“The Call of the Wild” should appeal to fans of adventure movies or dog lovers, or both. It has more to offer than landscape shots and cool CGI dogs.
At its heart it’s a coming-of-age story — even if the character making that journey is a dog.