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
Watch Now
Stream On
Buy on
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Expand
Review this movie
VOTE NOW
 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Check box if your review contains spoilers 0 characters (5000 max)

User Reviews

User scoreBy dateMost helpful
10
NathanB4567Feb 21, 2020
Great, just like the book. Suitable for all ages, as it is not as violent as the book. While some parts are dragged on, the rest of the movie is an incredible adventure
3 of 3 users found this helpful30
All this user's reviews
9
KunryaMar 2, 2020
Yeah, the dog is digital and there are a couple of spots where it's pretty rough, but never in a million years did I think I'd find a movie that my 13-year-old son, my 4-year-old son and myself would all enjoy together. Not only did we enjoyYeah, the dog is digital and there are a couple of spots where it's pretty rough, but never in a million years did I think I'd find a movie that my 13-year-old son, my 4-year-old son and myself would all enjoy together. Not only did we enjoy it,but we all loved it. It's obviously geared toward being a family film and steered away from some of the darker moments of Jack London's classic, but if you've read the book, its stays close enough that you can fill in the blanks yourself and still enjoy the movie with your kids.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
All this user's reviews
9
BradMorganFeb 26, 2020
A visual spectacle with beautiful CGI. In terms of look and feel, this emotional story is not inferior to Disney. It is not a perfect score because some parts of the story and characters were not completed or deepened enough, but the core ofA visual spectacle with beautiful CGI. In terms of look and feel, this emotional story is not inferior to Disney. It is not a perfect score because some parts of the story and characters were not completed or deepened enough, but the core of the story was very good.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
All this user's reviews
8
twall3Feb 22, 2020
Maybe it's because I was warned by various critics that the animated dogs were a distraction so my expectations we lowered, but I thought the animated aspect of the film was stunning. I often found myself forgetting that they weren't real. IMaybe it's because I was warned by various critics that the animated dogs were a distraction so my expectations we lowered, but I thought the animated aspect of the film was stunning. I often found myself forgetting that they weren't real. I had heard it was a kid's movie, and yet the full theater at 4:30 on a Friday had not one kid, but instead was adults between 50-80 years old. I suspect they were there because they had read the book when they were young. Afterwards from what I overheard, the older folks really liked the film. Scenery was beautiful and time-period sets were well crafted. My only disappointment was that Harrison Ford's character didn't have much screen time until the second half of the film. My wife had a hard seeing any cruelty towards the dogs (which was minimal). Overall a great movie. Thanks to all who made it!… Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
All this user's reviews
8
Daniel_EndureFeb 22, 2020
It almost feels like animal abuse for The Call Of The Wild to have as low a Metascore as it has... Almost. If you can get past the CGI creatures and are in the mood to sit back and just take in some pretty vistas, this is the flick for you.
0 of 2 users found this helpful02
All this user's reviews
10
twomonkeysFeb 21, 2020
The CGI is certainly the weakest part of this production, and the anthropomorphism is off the charts frequently, but there is still an awful lot to like here. Great source material, a meaningful message, solid performances and splendidThe CGI is certainly the weakest part of this production, and the anthropomorphism is off the charts frequently, but there is still an awful lot to like here. Great source material, a meaningful message, solid performances and splendid cinematography all raise this higher than numerous po faced critics would have you believe. This isn't Citizen Kane, and nor was it intended to be, but it's a well made, beautiful movie with a positive message for a modern audience.… Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
All this user's reviews
8
VickimageFeb 23, 2020
This is a much more successful use of digital effects than the recent version of The Lion King. It takes a couple of minutes to get used to Buck not being a real dog but after that you just roll with it. Harrison Ford gives one of his bestThis is a much more successful use of digital effects than the recent version of The Lion King. It takes a couple of minutes to get used to Buck not being a real dog but after that you just roll with it. Harrison Ford gives one of his best and most charming recent performances. Omar Sy and Cara Gee are also exceptionally good. The landscapes are wonderful and it is a thrilling tale well told. Don’t believe the critics that didn’t like it. This is a great film.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
10
zmgalen2000Feb 23, 2020
A tearjerking TAIL of wonder, love, and instinct, The Call of the Wild is one of the first truly memorable films of 2020. The movie will take you on a whimsical path, leaving you laughing, crying, and wanting it to carry on endlessly. BuckA tearjerking TAIL of wonder, love, and instinct, The Call of the Wild is one of the first truly memorable films of 2020. The movie will take you on a whimsical path, leaving you laughing, crying, and wanting it to carry on endlessly. Buck and John share growth and a journey that is nothing but perfect. Is the dog CGI? Yes. Is it noticeable? Somewhat. Does it detract from the film, itself? Not at all.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
8
rikkMar 2, 2020
Went it to this expecting a bit off a dud movie was pleasantly suprised. Both kids loves it (G6 and B11). Decent enough storyline, dogs reacted realistically although the CGI can look abit 'off' at time, Great actors, wonderful scenery.Went it to this expecting a bit off a dud movie was pleasantly suprised. Both kids loves it (G6 and B11). Decent enough storyline, dogs reacted realistically although the CGI can look abit 'off' at time, Great actors, wonderful scenery. Definitely recommend as a way to while away a rainy sunday.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
8
RalfbergsOct 21, 2020
I thought the movie was really great and fun. You could instantly see that the dog is digital and there are lots of CGI, but it didn't influence the movie and it turned out great.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
7
Creeper3455Mar 1, 2020
The 20th Century Studios logo, compared to Buck (in terms of VFX), is horrifying. Still hard to believe Disney wanted to chunk Fox off their logos to get "mooarrr companyyyysss".

Well, uhh... Congrats to Chris Sanders. He may be the onlyThe 20th Century Studios logo, compared to Buck (in terms of VFX), is horrifying. Still hard to believe Disney wanted to chunk Fox off their logos to get "mooarrr companyyyysss".

Well, uhh... Congrats to Chris Sanders. He may be the only director I know who successfully translated from Animation (with stuff like Lilo & Stich and The Croods) to Live-Action since...I don't know, Henry Selick? (remember Monkeybone?)

Because, while it has his problems, The Call Of The Wild so much feels like it wants to become an epic while it's surrounded by the "Kids Movie" territory that blocks it from reaching its full potential, especially when it has moments of interchangeable pacing that feel hollow or random at times.

An epic that features a CG Dog that may bother a lot of the Audience (it didn't to me), but at the same time resonate WITH the Audience, thanks to the fact that it's essentially a Dog hybrid of Forrest Gump and Cast Away...oh, and it has Harrison Ford narrating too.

And it's not that Buck bothered me because it was everything else that was bothering me. Either the rest of the animals is CG, there's a colossal waste of Karen Gillian (who's in it just as much as a Stan Lee cameo in an MCU Flick) and a rather bizarre and cartoonish plot point in the 3rd Act.

But again, it's all salvaged by the journey of Buck, which is fueled by a nice message about "finding your place in the world" and the fact that A-listers like Harrison Ford and Omar Sy are there to carry the movie "somewhere", since a major part of the movie is just stuff happening for no reason (despite knowing the mission of selected part).

Not only that but also the fact that Dan Stevens plays more of a beast in here than the actual Beast in the Beauty And The Beast remake, playing this selfish, idiotic Circus(?) leader who hates everything but that sweet sweet gold.

So yeah, I liked The Call Of The Wild, and while I'm sure you won't love it or something (the Box Office speaks for itself), at least you can't deny that it had a story and a really good one at that.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
7
d0vla11Dec 25, 2020
A solid familiy movie. Keeps you entertained until the end and gives wholesome vibes!
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
10
meydianarizki21Oct 18, 2020
I gave 10/10 :) Gets better as it goes on
When I first started watching this movie, I didn't think I was going to enjoy it, due to some of the scenes at the start, but as the movie went on, it got more and more BRILLIANT.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
7
DawdlingPoetJun 12, 2022
This is a sad story of bad animal welfare, with an adventure setting (as if most people aren't already familiar with the basic story!). Its very much an ok film, not especially 'stand out'-ish but not really bad by any means either. There areThis is a sad story of bad animal welfare, with an adventure setting (as if most people aren't already familiar with the basic story!). Its very much an ok film, not especially 'stand out'-ish but not really bad by any means either. There are some nice landscape shots and the characters are ok - the casting isn't bad, not brilliant but ok. I wouldn't especially recommend it, no.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
7
Stream2BigScreeFeb 25, 2020
*Majestic wolf howls in the background* Welcome back to Stream To Big Screen! This week we were able to review the new version of the often adapted Jack London classic, The Call of the Wild. If you haven't read the book in a while or just*Majestic wolf howls in the background* Welcome back to Stream To Big Screen! This week we were able to review the new version of the often adapted Jack London classic, The Call of the Wild. If you haven't read the book in a while or just don't remember, the book is about a dog named Buck who against all odds makes it through the roughest parts of the Yukon to find his true calling in the wild (skipping a bunch of key part and oversimplifying).

Now, let's get this straight. THIS MOVIE DOES NOT FOLLOW THE BOOK! DO NOT TAKE YOUR CHILD TO SEE THIS MOVIE INSTEAD OF THEM READING THE BOOK. THEY WILL GET A "C-" AT BEST. THEY WILL HAVE THE GIST OF THE BOOK BUT NOT THE CORRECT DETAILS. Now let's get to the review of this movie.

Twentieth Century Fox Animation and Twentieth Century Fox brought us this latest version and I must say as far as animation goes, it was the star. The film looks bright and crisp. The scenery is quite immersive. I almost know what it feels like to actually ride on a dog sled. Speaking of dog sleds, the animation with the dogs is sometimey. I'll admit most of the time the animation portrays the dog's emotions and expressions flawlessly. The other part of the time I feel like I'm watching a cartoon, a la Garfield, Scooby Doo animation. Quite frankly, it's off-putting. I wanted to forget that I was watching CGI creatures but the quality of these effects just kept on reminding me (I'm looking at you mystic wolf). Now, this same aspect I'm sure kids wouldn't even mind.

Kids also won't mind that this movie is almost too light. This book has some very heavy scenes and themes but this movie approached those same concepts in the lightest way possible. The PG rating handcuffed the producers almost too much. I understand they were producing this for a younger audience, but they may have gone too light for this classic. The PG rating definitely influenced how closely this movie could come to the true spirit the literary piece of work.

Long story short, The Call of the Wild is an American middle school reading classic adapted to the big screen a few times. This movie has been updated with all the dog-loving CGI you can handle. This movie will be perfect for the classroom for kids but just worth a matinee visit for the family to the theater.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
9
KryosarJun 27, 2020
This was a wonderful adaptation of a great book. It was nice to finally have a movie actually focus on Buck. Sims of the CGI could have been better served to use practical effects, but overall this is a great family movie, and deserved betterThis was a wonderful adaptation of a great book. It was nice to finally have a movie actually focus on Buck. Sims of the CGI could have been better served to use practical effects, but overall this is a great family movie, and deserved better than to have theaters shut down on it.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
7
AsclepiusFeb 24, 2020
This one will tug on your heart strings, especially if you have any affinity for dogs. I was a little worried about the CGI on the Buck dog — it wasn’t the best — but it didn’t detract from the overall experience.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
10
Manoj14Feb 25, 2020
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It’s an awesome movie with great screenplay and direction. It touched my heart… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
10
Ari17Feb 27, 2020
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Fiel al libro, mantiene la esencia dándole toques de humor convirtiéndola en un film agridulce con una gran enseñanza, paisajes hermosos y los personajes fieles al libro, lo único reprochable fueron algunos cambios de trama que disminuyen la crudeza de la historia, pero en general buenísima.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
7
nikeshm197May 7, 2020
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. very very exlent good game for pc nice work for qulity
carater was very good… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
8
trg100May 12, 2020
Quality family movie night (6 and 8 years). Not familiar with source material. Good visuals and atmosphere. A few laughs. I guess some of the dogs' capers were a bit cheesy but I'm not sure it was supposed to be gritty realism. My only realQuality family movie night (6 and 8 years). Not familiar with source material. Good visuals and atmosphere. A few laughs. I guess some of the dogs' capers were a bit cheesy but I'm not sure it was supposed to be gritty realism. My only real criticism is that when it ended I felt a bit like, "Wait, is that all?" That is, the story was a bit minimal and lightweight.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
10
DockedFerret800May 15, 2021
Good film. And it’s very strange why critics gave such a low rating. They were not even able to reason properly.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
7
ProfAmateurFeb 3, 2023
It's probably a movie aimed for kids, but the story got me even as an adult.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
9
Eddie26Jul 18, 2020
Just felt a bit too short for how much was in it, but still very enjoyable. Great movie
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
8
StefyTheWatcherJan 7, 2021
I don't have much opinions on this movie, i liked it but not much to say. Everyone is bothered by CGI dogs and animals, but I'm not. I acknowledged that they are CGI, but it did not bothered me. I never watched Togo, but i heard it is better.I don't have much opinions on this movie, i liked it but not much to say. Everyone is bothered by CGI dogs and animals, but I'm not. I acknowledged that they are CGI, but it did not bothered me. I never watched Togo, but i heard it is better. That is it 8/10.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
More From This Movie

48 Critic Reviews

6.4 User Reviews

Details & Credits|Trailers

Current Movie Releases
By MetascoreBy User Score
1 77 Project Hail Mary
2 75 Send Help
3 73 Hoppers
4 72 The Sheep Detectives
5 68 Crime 101
SEE ALL
Essential Links
New on Amazon Prime Video
New on Netflix
Coming Soon to DVD/Blu-ray
SEE ALL