“The Call of the Wild” wants to be a stirring adventure about a dog finding his place in the wild. Mostly, it delivers exactly that, but the execution keeps getting in its own way.
Trailer, via 20th Century Studios.
Buck’s Journey
Buck starts his story as a comfortable house dog in Santa Clara, California. He is stolen away and sent north to the Yukon during the 1890s gold rush. Along the way, he meets Judge Miller, who spoils him, and Perrault and his partner Françoise, who buy him for a mail sled team. Buck proves himself, wins the trust of the other dogs, and becomes the pack’s leader after defeating the rival dog Spitz.
The story moves fast and stays clear-eyed about Buck’s growth. The chase scenes are well shot, and the scenery is genuinely cold and harsh. It is a solid foundation, even if the movie does not always know how to build on it.
The Uncanny Valley Problem
The trouble comes from the CGI animals themselves. Buck is played by Terry Notary, who served as the live-action reference for the animated dog, and the computer animation struggles to hold together. In close shots, the dog’s movements break apart and look fake. The problem is not just a matter of taste; it is a technical issue that keeps pulling viewers out of the story.
“Uncanny valley” is the term for the exact problem here.
A Cast That Carries It
Harrison Ford plays John Thornton, Buck’s fourth master, and his presence anchors the film. Omar Sy and Dan Stevens round out the human leads as Perrault and Hal, respectively, and Karen Gillan plays Hal’s sister Mercedes. The supporting cast, including Cara Gee as Françoise and Michael Horse as Edenshaw, fills out the northern world without ever demanding attention.
The music by John Powell is pleasant enough, though it does not do much to elevate the material. The screenplay, written by Michael Green, sticks closely to the source material, but the pacing sags in the middle stretch.
A Short Run
The film was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced its early withdrawal from theaters. It grossed $111.1 million against a production budget of $125–150 million, losing the studio an estimated $50–100 million. Those numbers tell the story of a film that was working but not working enough.
“The Call of the Wild” is a film with a good idea and a strong cast, held back by animation that cannot quite keep up with its ambition. It is worth a watch for fans of the book or those curious about Buck’s journey, but the technical rough edges keep it from greatness.
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