An Adventure That Refuses To Go Away | THE CALL OF THE WILD: Review

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"An Adventure That Refuses To Go Away | THE CALL OF THE WILD: Review"
THE CALL OF THE WILD | © 20th Century Studios 2020

Jack London’s “The Call of the Wild” is a memory engraved in all our brains. A part of growing up. It was a book that appeared everywhere: schools, libraries, a friend’s home, etc. It was one of the first we all either read for a book report, or picked up and flipped through out of curiosity. Adapted for TV and feature film through the years, “The Call of the Wild”—like many other classic book adaptions—will live for generations to come.

Enhanced for today’s stylistic viewing pleasures, in 20th Century Studios’ THE CALL OF THE WILD (2020) we follow the story of Buck, a kind-hearted dog whose domestication is flipped when he is suddenly snatched from his home in California, then shipped to the frigid wilds of the Canadian Yukon during the Gold Rush of the 1890s. As the newest rookie on a mail-delivery dogsled team, Buck is forced to embark on extraordinary journeys of uneven footings and challenges to survive.

In a nutshell, modern times provide modern results! Compared to its earlier versions, of course the film has a much better feel, look, sound, and overall exposure of Yukon’s rugged terrain and its fill-ins for the story. It felt raw. It felt cold. It felt rugged. The story itself is pretty much a repetition and since we’ve seen prior adaptions, it didn’t feel like I was embarking upon something “new.” It’s sort of felt like a one note type of experience. But the catch to this is Harrison Ford! His simple, subtle and sturdy performance allows the piece to breathe life of its own. The film’s CGI animals work and look gorgeous at times, but then there were moments where it had scaling issues among each other and human characters. However, it still allowed the piece to maintain a touching aura upon a dog’s journey that leads towards his discovery of true placement in the world. Until the next remake… enjoy the call! 

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Genre: Drama, Adventure, Adaptation

Rated: PG

Run Time: 1:45

Starring: Harrison Ford, Dan Stevens, Omar Sy, Karen Gillan, Bradley Whitford

Directed by: Christopher Sanders

Official Movie Website: https://family.foxmovies.com/movies/call-of-the-wild

20th Century Studios 2020