The Call of the Wild
20th Century Fox | Release Date: February 21, 2020
6.4
USER SCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 106 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
58
Mixed:
38
Negative:
10
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User Reviews

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4
TVJerryFeb 25, 2020
Even though Harrison Ford is billed as the star, his story doesn't start until an hour into the movie. First, we watch the protagonist pooch get kidnapped and transported to Gold Rush Alaska, where he's conscripted into a sled dog team toEven though Harrison Ford is billed as the star, his story doesn't start until an hour into the movie. First, we watch the protagonist pooch get kidnapped and transported to Gold Rush Alaska, where he's conscripted into a sled dog team to deliver the mail. None of this matters because the script is so excessively precious and corny. Making matters SO much worse is the horribly computerized canine creation. Not only do they anthropomorphize him to an absurd degree, but they have him doing things that no dog could ever intuit, much less perform. I'd say the scenery is beautiful, but not sure how much of that is computer generated either. Children (who can be less discriminating) will probably enjoy the oversized emotions, minimal grittiness and sweet canine star, but author of the novel Jack London must be rolling over…and I mean that as a dog trick.… Expand
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6
AlphaRebelJun 22, 2020
As a family adventure focused on a dog the movie is fine. I know the lead creatures were CGI but I thought it was animated from a real dog or a prop but having seen some of the behind the scenes footage (props to corridor digital on YT forAs a family adventure focused on a dog the movie is fine. I know the lead creatures were CGI but I thought it was animated from a real dog or a prop but having seen some of the behind the scenes footage (props to corridor digital on YT for this one) I have to give additional props to Harrison ford for being able to keep a straight face and act as well as he does against a guy in a mocap suit pretending to be a dog! (it's ludicrous sight to see, look it up and giggle on YT)… Expand
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5
tropicAcesFeb 21, 2020
Perfectly fine, I have no major issues with it. It’s just randomly dark for a kids film (murder, demon wolves and blood fights), and the CGI dogs often look off-putting (this thing cost $125 million!! Who approved this?)
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6
Compi24Feb 26, 2020
Never mind the laughable CGI. Doing so would neglect the critical issue at the crux of this shockingly middling (I honestly expected it to be a whole lot worse) project. This is an attempt to turn an unflinchingly bleak and austere novel fromNever mind the laughable CGI. Doing so would neglect the critical issue at the crux of this shockingly middling (I honestly expected it to be a whole lot worse) project. This is an attempt to turn an unflinchingly bleak and austere novel from the early twentieth century into a children's film for the year 2020. The results are astoundingly complex in quality, and not in a particularly good way. The best way I can put is thus; the first 45 minutes of this movie are obnoxious and silly beyond repair, and the last 45 minutes are much more focused and emotionally resonant. There's an honest-to-God night and day difference between the two halves. First, you're witnessing a ludicrous, barely-of-this-reality-looking canine emoting for dear life against CGI backdrop after CGI backdrop, complete with slapstick and anthropomorphisms galore. Then, we end with a plaintive, melancholy meditation on life, death and the cruel reality of nature, featuring a much less cartoonish-acting -- and, thus much more palatable-looking -- doggo at the center. It's infuriating how much better the second half of this movie is than the first. So goes yet another film to toss into the "Tale Of Two Movies" case file.… Expand
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5
moviemitch96Mar 8, 2020
It's based off a classic novel and Harrison Ford's usually pretty reliable, so I figured I'd give it a go. And unfortunately, I really don't have much to say on this one other than its story feels very loosely-structured in comparison to theIt's based off a classic novel and Harrison Ford's usually pretty reliable, so I figured I'd give it a go. And unfortunately, I really don't have much to say on this one other than its story feels very loosely-structured in comparison to the novel, and I've always felt as though a film can focus strictly on animals rather than humans for only so long before becoming a bit tedious. In addition, every single dog in this film is very painfully obviously CGI, which didn't sit too well with me. The bond between Ford and the main dog was endearing at times, and there are some cool shots and scenes throughout, but none of it's really enough to make the rest of the film worthwhile.… Expand
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5
AxeTMar 2, 2020
Knowing this was coming for some time but without looking into it being based on the classic novel, imagined an intense thinking man's survival adventure like "The Revenant" and perfect for Harrison Ford as an action swan song of sorts only aKnowing this was coming for some time but without looking into it being based on the classic novel, imagined an intense thinking man's survival adventure like "The Revenant" and perfect for Harrison Ford as an action swan song of sorts only a rare very few could pull off at that age. Well, it's not that! From the trailer it was instantly clear the dog is not real and it's a problem even if many viewers don't outright realize it, they'll sense it (it does push the envelope technically and soon you won't be able to tell). Ford is as usual completely convincing. As legendary a mega star and great actor as he is, somehow he's still under-rated. This movie would rate slightly lower but for a good classical story, however unoriginal.… Expand
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5
moviecritic68Mar 4, 2020
Guess I was expecting a little more out of the story since Harrison Ford was in it. It had your "Old Yeller" moments if you are old enough to remember that film. Basically a feel good story with a digital dog being the main heroic character
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6
IndianaParkWarsOct 2, 2020
I admit I had assumptions going into this film. I thought it was all about Ford and his dog, but it's all about the dog. Ford's a great part, but it's not like the trailers made it out to be.

So, I really hated the first act. The CGI wasI admit I had assumptions going into this film. I thought it was all about Ford and his dog, but it's all about the dog. Ford's a great part, but it's not like the trailers made it out to be.

So, I really hated the first act. The CGI was really rough and it seemed super cheesy and bland. Then, it started to pick up and became a pretty decent movie. It was very cliche and predictable but it was fun enough as the movie moved along.
7/12… Expand
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6
joeyabukiFeb 27, 2020
It's a movie to spend some time if you have nothing better to do. I don't understand how Disney release this in theaters and Togo in Disney+, of Togo has much better production, cinematography and performances than this home movie.
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5
JLuis_001Feb 27, 2020
Harrison Ford was fine but the whole film failed to be more interesting. To be honest I enjoyed Togo a lot more.
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6
theredskyMar 5, 2020
The Call of the Wild is a strange film. All the pieces for a great movie are here but the studio or Director choose to be lazy instead of taking advantage of the opportunity. If you have seen any clips or trailers from this film then you knowThe Call of the Wild is a strange film. All the pieces for a great movie are here but the studio or Director choose to be lazy instead of taking advantage of the opportunity. If you have seen any clips or trailers from this film then you know that they animated a dog instead of using a real dog. It’s not just the dog they created in CGI. They did it to every single animal. It’s incredibly lazy and distracting. It’s not that the animals look bad, it's just uncanny. It looks like a dog and acts like a dog but it doesn’t feel like a dog. At certain points within the film, the dog will make “human expressions”. It feels out of place. The movie feels like it honestly should have been animated. I would have really liked this movie if it had been animated but I wouldn’t have loved it. The film still has issues in the character and editing category. Most of the characters in the film were pretty good such as Harrison Ford and Omar Sy but Dan Stevens' performance and character/villain was pretty awful. His performance was so over the top that it was distracting. I normally like over the top performances but this wasn’t the kind of over the top I like. His character was pretty awful too. He is supposed to be the main antagonist but he is only in the film for about 5 minutes. He feels more like a plot device than a character. While Steven’s character is pretty bad, Ford and Sy’s characters were pretty good. Both of their characters were fleshed out and were very likeable. Their performances added to this likeability. Harrison Ford did a great job. I honestly felt that this is one of his better performances in a long time. He brought a lot of depth and vulnerability to his performance and made his character relatable and interesting. Omar Sy did a pretty good job. His performance wasn’t on the same level as Ford’s but he still was enjoyable to see on screen. The plot of the film and its sequence of events was surprisingly really well done and emotional. The film is fast paced all the way through and the film is able to successfully deliver emotional punches with the human characters but not for the CGI animals. The only issue I took with the structure and sequence of events was how the second half of the film was much better than the first half. The first half of the film has good performances but the plot hasn’t fully kicked into gear yet so it’s not as interesting. The second half is when Harrison Ford comes in and the film becomes much much better. Most of the film’s technical aspects were pretty good too. The cinematography was pretty good for the most part but did have some beautiful establishing shots. The score by John Powell was great and helped add some emotion to certain scenes but the editing wasn’t that great. It wasn’t terrible but it was noticeably awkward when it transitioned to other scenes. Overall, The Call of the Wild has all the pieces to make a good film but decides to take the lazy route and animate all the animals muting some of the emotional weight.… Expand
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6
zNeverSleepingApr 20, 2020
A proposta é interessante e deveras difícil. Um certo nível de empatia é causado, mesmo se tratando de animais em CGI -, mas há furos no roteiro que simplesmente impedem que o filme seja mais que algo "pipoca".

Desde o princípio, somosA proposta é interessante e deveras difícil. Um certo nível de empatia é causado, mesmo se tratando de animais em CGI -, mas há furos no roteiro que simplesmente impedem que o filme seja mais que algo "pipoca".

Desde o princípio, somos apresentados ao Buck. Um cachorro brincalhão, sem jeito, mas de bom coração, que não é muito apreciado onde vive. Era como se ele nascesse para um propósito diferente: A Natureza.
O filme segue essa premissa e funciona muito bem no seu primeiro arco. Os personagens apresentados são carismáticos e fazem falta ao partirem. Não é dada muita atenção aos demais cachorros, exceto num momento onde eles são necessários para o amadurecimento do próprio Buck. Um deles, que era o lider e chamava atenção, some e nem se quer retorna ao filme, o que é um erro visto o potencial que ele tinha. Em um momento da trama, os cachorros somem, e nenhuma importância é dada a isso. Ficamos sem respostas e o roteiro demonstra se importar apenas com o cachorro de bom coração, como ele fosse o suficiente e cobrisse a lacuna de todos os personagens. Isso deixa o filme superficial demais, fazendo com que não haja nenhum apelo dramático e que tenhamos a sensação de que o roteiro é unidimensional. É frustrante, pois tudo caminhava muito bem até que o casal dos correios fosse embora. Tudo desanda a partir dali.

Quanto a CGI, apesar de não conseguir passar a sensação de um animal de verdade, ao menos não no protagonista, é convincente na maioria das vezes e aqui há um bom trabalho nas expressões faciais, que eu particularmente achei mais atraente que a do Rei Leão Remake. Os cenários são absolutamente lindos, e a fotografia aproveita muito bem disso e entrega planos belíssimos de bem estruturados.

Call of the Wild é um filme lindo, mas que se perde com o tempo e se contenta com o que foi apresentado e descartado, fazendo com que o desenvolvimento ficasse todo em torno do Buck, anulando qualquer aparente "universo" que poderia haver.… Expand
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4
jalbertaMar 15, 2020
The use of CGI was noticeable to me and it surely did affect my enjoyment. Not in a good way. Those who were unaffected by this seemed to like the Movie. Sadly, liberties are also taken with this adaption of London's classic book. I'd hopedThe use of CGI was noticeable to me and it surely did affect my enjoyment. Not in a good way. Those who were unaffected by this seemed to like the Movie. Sadly, liberties are also taken with this adaption of London's classic book. I'd hoped they would stick to the real story.… Expand
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6
BatMiteFeb 24, 2020
A story about the journey of dog who seemingly had it all but is quickly thrown into the wild to discover himself. The main protagonist of the film is Buck, a CGI canine that is funny and quirky enough as we see him grow into the leader andA story about the journey of dog who seemingly had it all but is quickly thrown into the wild to discover himself. The main protagonist of the film is Buck, a CGI canine that is funny and quirky enough as we see him grow into the leader and alpha dog he needed to be. The plot of the film is nothing new or clever but has plenty of fun interactions of more CGI dogs that is just enough to make this film passable. Harrison Ford gives a good performance for the minimal screen time he is given. The movie never really shows us why the story of Buck had to really happen it all just kind of does as well as Ford's character has some background but not enough to satisfy his arc. It's a movie safe enough to watch with the family albeit it is an adorably mediocre movie.… Expand
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6
fiftywordreviewMar 3, 2020
Thinly written characters and an overabundance of CGI can be off-putting, but The Call of the Wild finds success as an enjoyable if predictable crowd-pleaser. Be prepared for a generic plot but ultimately rewarding adventure.
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6
SpacemanGaryFeb 27, 2020
Overall I'm against resurrecting dead actors through CGI, but they did a semi-convincing job with Harrison Ford. Gives me hope for that new James Dean Vietnam movie.
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5
LeisureFeatureFeb 27, 2020
Shallow feel good story with no real narrative. The CGI animals were among the most convincing performances.
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6
CarlElmoreNov 22, 2022
I think the fake CGI dog stops this film from being good but the music and story is really sweet and fun. Harrison Ford was definitely trying here.
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