The Call of the Wild (2020)

Directed by: Chris Sanders | 100 minutes | adventure, drama | Actors: Harrison Ford, Omar Sy, Cara Gee, Dan Stevens, Bradley Whitford, Jean Louisa Kelly, Michael Horse, Karen Gillan, Colin Woodell, Micah Fitzgerald, Heather McPhaul, Adam Fergus, Stephanie Czajkowski

‘The Call of the Wild’ is based on the classic novel by Jack London. This version with Buck brought to life thanks to CGI is not the first film adaptation. After the first film in 1923, the number of adaptations can no longer be counted on one hand, Clark Gable, Charlton Heston and Rutger Hauer, for example, have already taken on the role that Harrison Ford now takes on. Jack London’s story – like his other books (‘Martin Eden’, ‘White Fang’) is still popular. The timeless nature of the story – despite being set in a specific period in American history – certainly helps with that.

In the 2020 version of “The Call of the Wild,” we get to know Buck as a judge’s beloved pet. The mix between a Saint Bernard and a Scottish collie is fully equipped and nothing prepares him for his sudden kidnapping. In late 1800s America, strong dogs were a sought-after investment; countless fortune seekers were seized by the gold rush and needed dogs to pull the sleds towards the Yukon. When Buck meets his new boss, he suddenly has to work hard and that’s quite a switch. But Buck soon learns to adapt to the new situation.

This family film is a lot friendlier than the original story, although there are also some fights between four-legged friends. Buck has several new owners, the first of which, the friendly mailmen Perrault and Françoise (Omar Sy and Cara Gee), treat him quite well. It goes wrong with the next one, the silly but tough adventurer Hal (played rather over the top by Dan Stevens). However, through marketing and the choice in the scenario to have them meet in the beginning, we have known for a long time that Buck’s greatest (human) friend will be John Thornton (Harrison Ford) – and you don’t have to have read the book for that.

Using computer animation turns out better than you might initially think. Buck is beautifully animated and it’s very easy to believe that this is a real dog, were it not for the occasional slapstick-like actions attributed to him. Occasionally Buck has too human facial expressions, but that doesn’t really disturb. The surroundings also look beautiful, you soon imagine yourself in the cold, snow-covered Alaska. The connection between man and nature and of course dog and nature is not superfluous, but it is the essence of the story.

The pace is not always that fast and that will make some viewers drop out, but ‘The Call of the Wild’ is a nice mix of drama, action, comedy and adventure with a fine Harrison Ford and a photo-realistic Buck. Great version to get acquainted with this classic story.