The Call of the Wild (based on the Jack London 1903 novel of the same name) tells the story of Buck, a big-hearted dog who we follow as he's taken from a life of luxury in California to the harsh landscapes of the Alaskan Yukon in the 1890s. Along the way, he faces cruelty, rival canines, and even odds which would be too much for even some humans to overcome, and you'll be rooting for him from start to finish. While you'll likely find yourself wiping away the occasional tear, this is definitely a family film and a very real rival to
Sonic the Hedgehog for the best film currently in theaters.
Released under the "Twentieth Century Studios" banner, T
he Call of the Wild feels like it has Disney's fingerprints all over it, but that proves to be no bad thing. Director Chris Sanders (
How to Train Your Dragon) makes an effective live-action debut here, and while it often feels like the movie would have benefited from a stronger hand to guide what proves to be a sweeping, often epic tale, the sense of uncertainty you feel along the way is no bad thing as we find ourselves pulled along for this ride with the loveable Buck. There are some great visuals, a lot of laughs (one scene with some gold is particularly memorable), and composer John Powell's reunion with Sanders pays off nicely. As an overall package, the movie works exceptionally well, and it's hard to imagine anyone
not getting invested in the story that plays out here.
Harrison Ford delivers another stellar performance here, and while he's playing supporting actor to a CGI dog (we'll get to that a little later), his incredible talent means that he's effortlessly able to get across what he needs to. John Thornton is a broken man, but with the help of man's best friend, he finds a part of himself that's been missing, and his story is every bit as compelling as Buck's. While the rest of the cast play mostly minor roles, Omar Sy delivers a scene stealing performance, and Dan Stevens, Karen Gillan, and Cara Gee are all also excellent.
So, yeah, about those dogs. It appears as if they've all been brought to life with the use of visual effects, and that proves to be hard to ignore in the case of Buck. There are a few too many occasions where he just doesn't look real, and that can be understandably distracting. In fairness, there are a number of scenes where it would have been cruel to use real animals, but
The Lion King and
The Jungle Book set a high standard, and what we see here probably should have been better considering the fact Buck doesn't ever actually talk! This isn't something that will spoil
The Call of the Wild for you, though, and you'll be rooting for the massive dog from start to finish.
A perfect film for dog lovers and a heartwarming adventure in its own right, The Call of the Wild features a wonderfully understated performance from Harrison Ford, and is a ride definitely worth taking.