THE WILD (2006)
"Small moments of amusement -- and there are some -- can't compensate for either a feeling of familiarity or the sense that we're watching a minor helping of animation rather than a galvanizing movie event."
-- Robert Denerstein, DENVER ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS
"As a movie that kids will enjoy with a few adult-oriented gags to keep parents from going completely insane with boredom, The Wild accomplishes its unambitious mission."
-- Peter Hartlaub, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
"There's nothing all that wild about The Wild, a tame but entertaining-enough computer-animated film from Disney."
-- Tom Long, DETROIT NEWS
For many years, Walt Disney Pictures was considered the best studio for any animated project. With instant classics such as
Beauty & The Beast, Aladdin and
The Lion King, it seemed as if they were on a neverending role. Things seemed to be going nowhere but up from there. But then Disney unintentionally changed the entire face of animation with the release of
Toy Story, and from then on everything changed. Films that were entirely CGI slowly but surely dominated the market, and the traditional animation that once ruled the box office slowly faded into oblivion. With major competition from other studios, including DreamWorks Animation, Disney slowly began to lose a lot of the charm it had in its heyday, with the only major hits coming from co-productions with Pixar Animation Studios. Disney is long due for a comeback, but it won't find one with their latest production. The film, appropriately titled
The Wild, is cute enough - but essentially it feels like a retread of many other much better films.
In development for many years,
The Wild is the first project to come from C.O.R.E Animation Studios, a Canadian studio that has done special effects work on many other films. It tells the story of Samson (voiced by Kiefer Sutherland), a lion who lives with his son Ryan (Greg Cipes) within the confines of the New York Zoo. Samson is happy with his life and respected by all because of his seemingly mighty pedigree. But Ryan has a hard time trying to fill the shoes of his great father. After a vicious fight between father and son, Ryan escapes from the zoo and unintentionally finds himself on a ship to Africa. Now, armed with the help of a group of friends (including a giraffe, squirrel, koala bear and snake), Samson must find his son before it is too late. The first act is set throughout New York City, while the second act transports the setting to the African jungle.
Sitting through
The Wild is not a torturous experience at all. In fact, it is an enjoyable film from time to time - occassionally juvenile but fast-paced and never boring. The main problem lies in the screenplay. It manages to borrow key story elements from films such as
Madagascar, Finding Nemo, Ice Age and
The Lion King and incorporate them into the story in a ridiculously obvious way. The latter film is blatantly referenced in many scenes where the visuals eerily mirror the original. The movie might have been more of a success if some original ideas were added to the mix.
Another flaw lies in the characters. Aside from Samson and his son, the other characters are very underdeveloped and honestly just plain annoying. One of the most important elements in creating a successful animated film is having characters that the audience can relate to. Here, most of the supporting characters aren't very likable, with most providing cheap and unfunny gags throughout that feel incredibly misplaced. The best example is the snake named Larry, voiced by Richard Kind. It felt as if the same gag with him was simply replayed over and over again - and it wasn't even a funny one to begin with.
The animation here is one of the saving graces. Visuals are excellent from beginning to end, with the characters looking incredibly lifelike and the scenery incredibly accurate. It is evident that much attention was paid to detail here, evidenced in one scene where the animals tour New York City. The animation successfully conveys the bright lights and wonder of the big city as well as any live action film could.
Overall,
The Wild is a decent film with its heart in the right place, but one can't see it without thinking of the other stronger films that it borrows from. This is much better than the previous Disney acquisition
Valiant and good enough for a matinee, but it's light forgettable fare that you likely won't remember hours after leaving the theater.
6/10 (B-)
