The Call of the Wild (2020)

My Review

“The Call of the Wild” is the story of a dog’s journey from California to the Yukon Territory during the 1890’s Gold Rush. Buck the dog befriends an outdoorsman, and the drama proceeds from there. Director Chris Sanders (“Lilo and Stitch” 2002) and screenwriter Michael Green adapted the story from Jack London’s 1903 novel, with good writing and memorable performances, but with flawed CGI giving Buck and other animals excessive human facial expressions.

Terry Notary played Buck the dog in motion capture. His roles have really gone to the dogs, as he was in the “Planet of the Apes” reboot series previously. Harrison Ford is perfect in the human lead role and as the narrator. Over the years, he has graduated into the senior movie star parts that used to go to Spencer Tracy and Clark Gable. The supporting cast includes Omar Sy, Dan Stevens, Bradley Whitford, Karen Gillan, Cara Gee, Jean Louisa Kelly, and Michael Horse.

The watchable “The Call of the Wild” was popular at the box office, but it’s run in theaters was cut short due to the Covid19 shutdown, bad new for 3 Arts Entertainment, 20th Century Studios, and The Walt Disney Company. It was filmed in soundstages in Los Angeles, exterior sets in Santa Clarita, and CGI recreation of the snowy Yukon mountains. “The Call of the Wild” received one nomination for the Golden Raspberry Awards, for Worst Screen Combo to “Harrison Ford and that fake-looking CGI ‘dog.'”