Review film Call of the wild
The Call of the Wild proves that you can teach an old dog new tricks. Jack
London’s classic novel, which has translated poorly to the big screen thss far,
finally comes to life here.
Yes I’ve seen this plot
countless times, ever since the book, The Call of the Wild, was published in 1903. Since then,
there have been dozens of both film and literary adaptations, dating as far
back as a silent version in 1923. Wild has
been tackled by actors such as Clark Gable and Charlton Heston, and its
influence can be seen everywhere. Kids still read it in school. Hemingway and
Dos Passos were inspired by it at an early age. And we wouldn’t have movies
like Old Yeller, Marley & Me and A Dog’s Purpose without it. So
why did it take 117 years for a film to finally capture London’s waggish wit?
In this film’s case,
technology makes it possible. Buck, the book’s beloved canine hero, is a
product of motion-capture-work. He’s the size of two dogs combined, and his
stomach makes him a prisoner of his own instincts. When dog-nappers tempt him
with food, Buck licks his digital chops, then follows the scent. These baddies
take him to Alaska, where he’s sold to a local mailman, Perrault (Omar Sy), who
leads a pack of sled dogs. Through dense forests and empty tundras, past
avalanches and herds of deer, Buck guides his crew and the audience in
thrilling chase sequences that make the most of the $125 million budget.
The whole film is a
joyride. Produced by 20th Century Studios — Disney’s new label for 20th Century
Fox — The Call of the Wild is
more concerned with entertaining the whole family than exploring London’s
themes of nature vs. civilization. But that’s OK. Because Buck is so adorable,
and civilization here is so amiable, you’ll be happy to go along for the ride.
Things really start picking
up when Buck meets John (Harrison Ford). An old mountain man with a beard the
size of Mount McKinley, John spends his days drinking in the wilderness,
helping others whenever he can. One day that means saving Buck. When a Gold
Rush prospector named Hal (Dan Stevens) buys Buck, sending him and a pack of
dogs across thin ice, John comes to the rescue, saving our bleeding hero from
drowning. It’s a cute ice breaker that leads to a captivating bromance.
“How do you feel about an
adventure?” John asks Buck. The two are stargazing, and as Buck watches his new
friend play harmonica, we know what his answer would be if he could talk. Of
course Buck wants to go; he would go anywhere with John. So, they venture
through spellbinding, photorealistic landscapes.
It feels like a leash has
been taken off the audience when they explore Alaska’s mountaintops.
Cinematographer Janusz Kaminski captures Buck and John’s liberation for the
viewer quite deftly. By shooting from Buck’s point of view — low angle shots on
a gyroscopic camera — we feel as if we are right there with him. One memorable
scene sees the two canoeing down a river. With a school of fish swimming below
and a flock of eagles soaring above, the camera cuts to Buck’s POV, staring up
at sunny skies.
Not everyone will admire
the CGI, though. Some have complained about the filmmaker’s lack of pet actors,
which is shortsighted. Considering the backlash Disney would have received if
they used a real dog — making it swim down waterfalls and under icebergs — the
use of digital effects seems like the right call here. Sometimes director Chris
Sanders (How to Train Your Dragon)
plays it safe where he shouldn’t have, though. His dogmatic way of thinking
confines him to some eye-rolling Disney tropes. But the pros outweigh the cons.
And thanks to dazzling effects and soulful characters, this version of the
classic runs at the head of the pack.
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