While this film hardly contains the depth of the book, it is a fun adventure movie in its own right.
Okay we all know what I have to get out of the way first. The dog is CGI. Not only is the dog CGI but it is very obviously so. The cartoony expressions on his face as well his stylized way of moving makes him look like he belongs in a completely different film (mainly a cartoon) than the live action human characters. There were moments I almost excepted him to start speaking English like a cartoon character. This very much distracted me as the movie started and I was worried it might ruin the film. However the further into the film I got the more I got used to this and I stopped thinking about it and was able to simply enjoy the movie.
This film brings us a very simplified version of the book's story turning it into a simple family friendly adventure movie. However if we are to judge Call of the Wild as a simple adventure movie than it is quite a fun ride. Buck and John are very likable and relatable characters and I quickly learned to care about both of them. Harrison Ford plays John Thornton with his extremely likable and easy going charm and his relationship with Buck helps you except the obviously animated dog. There is a real vulnerability and humanity to this performance along with the gruff exterior. Harrison Ford is a true movie star and any time he is on screen I could not look away from him. However John is not the only human character of note here. The man and woman who lead Buck on his sled dog journeys at one point in the movie are also very likable and even provide some good comedy. The actors who play these characters (Omar Sy, Cara Gee) have wonderful chemistry with each other and it a joy to watch them share the screen. This movie also provides us with fast moving action and a sense of scale that makes Buck's adventures seem big.
Unfortunately this film also features a rather bland and uninteresting villain in a movie that could have still worked without one.
This is not a film for purists of the book and the CGI dog can get distracting, but on its own terms this is a fun adventure movie and I recommend it.
-Michael J. Ruhland
No comments:
Post a Comment