The Wild

reviewed by Jane Louise Boursaw

Suggested Ages: MPAA Rating: Star Rating:
4+ PG ****


The animals in the New York City Zoo tend to go a little crazy after dark. In fact, one of the lions, Samson (voiced by Keifer Sutherland of TV’s “24”), loves being “top cat” and telling the other animals about the old days, when he was king of the jungle. Unfortunately, his son, Ryan (Greg Cipes), isn’t exactly following in his father’s paw prints. The teenaged cat can’t even roar!

Downtrodden and feeling like he doesn’t belong, Ryan hops into the back of a truck and is accidentally shipped off to Africa, where he’s scheduled to be released into the wild. The panicked Samson immediately rounds up his friends, and together, they embark on a dangerous rescue mission to find Ryan and bring him home.

The odd assortment of pals includes a quick-witted giraffe (Janeane Garofalo), a dim-witted anaconda (Richard Kind), a wicked wildebeest (William Shatner), an acerbic koala (Eddie Izzard), and a street-savvy squirrel (Jim Belushi), none of whom are particularly happy with their lot in life. Beyond the borders of the zoo, they discover that it truly is a jungle out there!
Sound familiar? While this story sounds suspiciously like 2005’s “Madagascar,” this movie is actually much different. For one thing, the central relationship is between a father and son, so their bond forms the emotional core of the movie and offers good lessons in forgiving and accepting others.

This movie also has a more cutting-edge look than other CG (computer-generated) movies, thanks to the dynamic duo of director Steve “Spaz” Williams and producer Clint Goldman, the brains behind CG films like “Jurassic Park” and “The Abyss,” as well as those wacky “Carl & Ray” commercials for Blockbuster. The characters in “The Wild” seem so real; they practically jump off the screen, squishing and stretching their way through a variety of predicaments. The background is also entertaining, as the animals tool through Times Square and other NYC locales.

PRE-SCHOOLER (ages 2-5): While this movie carries a G rating, there are several bodily-function jokes and the occasional innuendo that just barely flew under the radar of the Motion Picture Association of America. Other than a few cringe-worthy scenes, little ones will love these cuddly critters with lots of personality.

GRADE-SCHOOLER (ages 6-10): This movie is all about having faith in yourself, accepting others for who they are, and forgiving others for past mistakes. These are all good things for kids of any age to learn -- but especially grade-schoolers as they head into their clique-filled teen years. The characters all want to be something they’re not, but by the end, you feel like they’ve made peace with themselves and learned to accept each other. That’s especially true for Samson and his son, who learn to overlook each other’s faults and forge a meaningful relationship.

TWEEN/TEEN (ages 11+): As with grade-schoolers, older tweens and teens will get the subtle messages in this movie: Be yourself, and don’t follow the crowd into dangerous territory, just because it’s the cool thing to do. Because this movie doesn’t contain the in-your-face innuendoes of many other teen movies, it's a good one to see with friends. The voices are superb, the storyline meaningful, and the animation top-notch. It also boasts a hip musical score with tunes by Coldplay, Everlife, and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, as well as the original song, “Really Nice Day,” by former Monty Python member Eric Idle and songwriter John De Prez, the team behind the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, “Spamalot.”
Jane Louise Boursaw is a freelance writer specializing in the television and movie industry. Her syndicated column, "Reel Life With Jane," is published in papers throughout the country. Email her at jboursaw@charter.net.

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