The classic story of man’s best friend who finds his true
self, or his calling – so to speak, still resonates over the ages and is pretty
good overall.
Readers of Jack London’s novel The Call of the Wild, of which this movie
takes its cue, have another medium in which to experience the story of Buck, a
rather large dog coming from a life of privilege who in the midst of being
captured and sent off to an unfamiliar land.
Buck must learn to survive and eventually thrive while racing towards his destiny. Along the way he bonds with a human (Harrison Ford) who is also trying to find his place in the world.
The overall direction of the film is solid with steady pacing alongside the action sequences that are sprinkled in between.
The CGI creation of parts of the world along with the main character of Buck will be off-putting for some but in this instance I felt that it was the better choice because it allowed for more range of Buck’s emotions, keenness and intelligence to be displayed during his journey across the world to find his true calling.
In the end, ‘The Call of the Wild’ is an entertaining and fitting retelling of a well-loved tale.
GRADE: B+ |THIS
[Written by Leland Wyrick | Follow THIS on Twitter @THISENT1]
