Aptly enough, the dog-centric Call Of The Wild comes with a strong pedigree. Directed by Chris Sanders (How To Train Your Dragon), written by Michael Green (Logan, Blade Runner 2049), shot by Steven Spielberg DP supremo Janusz Kaminski and starring Harrison Ford, this latest adaptation of Jack London’s celebrated 1903 novel (previous versions have starred Clark Gable, Charlton Heston, Rutger Hauer and Charlie Brown) about a dog’s foray through the Gold Rush is broad but entertaining. The USP — all the animals are digital in line with Disney’s admirable policy of not using real animals on set — bears variable results but the film is at times charming, at times stirring and mostly entertaining.
Following a ‘70’s Blue Peter style animation voiced by Ford setting up the Gold Rush, Call Of The Wild settles into that sub-genre of movies that follows a dog from owner to owner. Starting with a blink and you’ll miss it turn from Bradley Whitford as a wealthy judge as the muscular mutt causes havoc in a grand house, Buck (performed by movement specialist Terry Notary) moves from a sledding delivery team lead by Perrault (Sy) to dastardly dandy Hal (an overzealous Dan Stevens in a Tartan suit and wax ‘tache) to outdoorsman John Thornton (Ford), who, having left his wife after the death of their son, is a lost soul who could do with Buck’s revitalising presence
What follows is standard but well done wilderness adventure fare (falling through ice — check; avalanches — check; rough rivers — check), often beautiful thanks to Kaminski’s full fat lensing, eschewing the de-saturated look of much of his work with Spielberg. Flitting between obviously animated to completely photo-real animals, the digital menagerie has pros and cons; Buck’s performance is so attenuated — he has the range of Joaquin Phoenix and the comic timing of Phoebe Waller Bridge — that it works against you believing he is a real dog — at one point during a fight for supremacy over the sledding squad, Buck does a WWE move on rival wolf Spitz. But the upside is that Sanders can design amped up dynamic shots — the sledding sequences are exhilarating — that, combined with John Powell’s stirring score, give the film confidence and verve.
Die-hard fans of London’s novel will find the savagery and primitivism AWOL. But there’s a lot to like here from a warm relaxed Omar Sy to comedic beats that actually land and that sense of assurance being in safe filmmaking hands. It’s also worth it to see Harrison Ford do a harmonica duet with a lovable shaggy co-pilot. It’s a shame he never did the same with Chewie.
