The Call of the Wild (2020) 20th Century/Adventure RT: 100 minutes Rated PG (some violence, peril, thematic elements, mild language) Director: Chris Sanders Screenplay: Michael Green Music: John Powell Cinematography: Janusz Kaminski Release date: February 21, 2020 (US) Cast: Harrison Ford, Dan Stevens, Omar Sy, Cara Gee, Karen Gillan, Bradley Whitford, Jean Louisa Kelly, Michael Horse, Abraham Benrubi, Colin Woodell, Scott MacDonald. Box Office: $62.3M (US)/$110.8M (World)
Rating: ** ½
Film historians and animal lovers will no doubt remember the controversy surrounding the 2017 drama A Dog’s Purpose. Shortly before its release, a video surfaced allegedly showing one of the movie’s canine stars being mistreated on the set. Although ultimately discredited, it caused a great deal of grief for the studio with the outcry from animal activists and PETA calling for a boycott. I’m wondering if the makers of the new cinematic version of Jack London’s The Call of the Wild had this in mind when they decided to go with CGI instead of a real dog.
I couldn’t believe it when I saw the trailer for The Call of the Wild. The dog is completely CGI. It looked weird. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to get past it. I kept thinking of the 2002 version of Scooby-Doo and how strange it was with the human cast acting opposite a CGI mutt. Of course, technology has come a long way since then. It looks better than it did at the start of the century. Still, there’s nothing like the real thing. It took me about 15-20 minutes to get past the CGI. Once I did, I started enjoying The Call of the Wild.
Purists might not be thrilled with the changes made in this latest incarnation of London’s novel. In addition to story changes, the material has been toned down and all things non-PC removed. The basic storyline is still the same. It centers on Buck, a large domesticated dog (a St. Bernard/Scotch Collie mix) living the high life in sunny Santa Clara circa 1895. He’s a spoiled pooch who lives for people food and running wild through the house and town. One night, he’s lured from the front porch of his owner’s home to the back of a wagon and stolen. He’s placed in a box and shipped to the Yukon, currently in the grips of the Gold Rush, where a dog of his size will fetch a good price.
Initially purchased by a mail carrier (Sy, Jurassic World) and his wife (Gee, The Expanse) as a sled dog, Buck eventually acclimates to his new surroundings and becomes the team leader. When the postal route is discontinued, he briefly becomes the property of an abusive prospector (Stevens, Downton Abbey) until he’s rescued by John Thornton (Ford, Star Wars), a loner less interested in finding gold than drinking away the pain of losing his son, a tragedy that also ended his marriage. Although he really doesn’t want to get attached to anyone, John bonds with Buck. For his part, Buck begins to get in touch with his wolf ancestry by running with a pack of wolves that show him the ways of the wild.
Although Ford is billed as the star of The Call of the Wild, the real star is the dog because it’s really his story. Ford’s character only becomes major about halfway through the movie. He does a good job in the role. I think he’s found his new niche playing grizzled old men. At 77, I don’t see him doing Jack Ryan or Indiana Jones anymore even though a fifth film in the latter series was recently announced. Old age may have slowed him down, but it didn’t soften him. He’s still a tough guy when the occasion calls for it. He imbues his character with the right amounts of strength and sadness. He gives a decent performance, but it won’t make viewers forget he once helped save a galaxy far, far away. Stevens camps it up as the wild-eyed villain with a severe case of gold fever and crazed paranoia. He does everything but twirl his mustache to relate to the audience that he’s the bad guy here. Sy lends dignity as the first human that sees Buck’s potential and believes in him.
There is adventure aplenty in The Call of the Wild including a rescue from an icy lake, an avalanche, a bar fight and dog fight. There’s also a treacherous river journey and a climactic fight with the villain. I’d like to say it recalls the adventure stories of old, but the CGI takes you out of the story in reminding you that you’re watching a movie. They do a fine job with CGI Buck and the motion-capture performance by Terry Notary is good. You may not know his name, but you’ve surely seen his work in films like Avatar, the Hobbit trilogy and the last two Avengers movies.
Even though The Call of the Wild is clearly the work of capable professionals, it still feels a bit fake. I do like it though. It’s a better movie than I thought it would be going in. It’s an entertaining movie for (almost) the whole family. Small ones and sensitive types might be upset by a few scenes of brutality and violence (all PG level stuff). It might even prompt your third or fourth-graders to download London’s book. Or, if they want the full experience, they can check it out of the library. Maybe it’s just me but reading an old adventure novel loses something in digital translation.
