The Call of the Wild

"Based on the legendary novel."

2020 1h 40m EN

🙌

7.5

BANGER

🍅

62%

FRESH

😬

METACRITIC

⭐

6.7

IMDB

★7.5TMDB · 4,026🍅62%Rotten Tomatoes●48Metacritic★6.7IMDB · 63,767

AdventureFamilyDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Buck is a big-hearted dog whose blissful domestic life is turned upside down when he is suddenly uprooted from his California home and transplanted to the exotic wilds of the Yukon during the Gold Rush of the 1890s. As the newest rookie on a mail delivery dog sled team—and later its leader—Buck experiences the adventure of a lifetime, ultimately finding his true place in the world and becoming his own master.

“Based on the legendary novel.”

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Cast

Harrison Ford
John Thornton
Dan Stevens
Hal
Colin Woodell
Charles
Karen Gillan
Mercedes
Omar Sy
Perreault
Raven Scott
Pastry Chef
Wes Brown
Mountie
Cara Gee
Françoise

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Chris Sanders
Writers: Michael Green
Languages: English, French
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

$109M budget — tentpole studio territory.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 6 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, French.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Chris Sanders, shot by Janusz Kamiński. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by John Powell. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor David Heinz shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Harrison Ford and Dan Stevens and Colin Woodell carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Based on the legendary novel.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Chris Sanders directs. Janusz Kamiński behind the camera. John Powell scores. David Heinz cuts. Profitable at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English, French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1$109M budget — tentpole studio territory.
2Released 6 years ago.
3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, French.
4Directed by Chris Sanders, shot by Janusz Kamiński. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by John Powell. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor David Heinz shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Harrison Ford and Dan Stevens and Colin Woodell carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "Based on the legendary novel.".
9IMDB entry: tt7504726 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Classified under 11 themes, including "based on novel or book", "affectation", "gold rush", "alaska".

The technical file

Cinematography: Janusz Kamiński
Original score: John Powell
Editing: David Heinz
Production design: Stefan Dechant
Costume design: Kate Hawley
VFX supervisor: Erik Nash
Sound: David Giammarco
Stunt coordinator: Charles Croughwell
Runtime: 100 min · 1h 40m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $109,000,000
Box office: $111,200,000
Return: 102% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG
IMDB: The Call of the Wild (2020)
Rotten Tomatoes: 62% 🍅 Fresh
Metacritic: 48/100
IMDB rating: 6.7/10 · 63,767 votes
MPAA: PG

Awards

1 win & 8 nominations total

Also by

Chris Sanders

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Selected frames

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Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Manuel São Bento2020-03-13
★ 7/10
If you enjoy reading my Spoiler-Free reviews, please follow my blog @ https://www.msbreviews.com I couldn't catch The Call of the Wild when it premiered. Therefore, I didn't remember a single thing about it when I went to watch it yesterday at an empty screening (yei). Once again, I stayed away from trailers, but a few images popped up at the time. The CGI dog didn't look good at all. With reviews coming out and weeks passing by, I couldn't avoid concluding that most of the negative opinions are due to the "distracting animation". Knowing that the visuals would probably be disappointing compared with the story, I still watched it with moderate expectations. I'm genuinely surprised by so much negative feedback. I really enjoyed it, and it's one of my favorite films of the year, so far. Yes, it doesn't mean much, having in mind it's only March, and it will very likely not even receive an honorable mention by the year's end. Nevertheless, the supposedly distracting CGI dog (Buck) didn't bother me in the slightest. Buck might not be a perfect animated animal, but as long as people go in with the right mindset, the chances of enjoying the story are much higher. It's an animated dog. Accept it, move on, and everything will flow a lot easier. I believe it belongs in that "uncanny valley" category. Something weird might work well for some people, and horribly for the rest. I didn't mind it at all, and I go as far as saying that a few moments are elevated exclusively due to the dog's expressions. I also defend that this movie needed the CGI dog instead of a real one. It's not an ordinary dog: Buck is stronger, bigger, taller, and he has a special wild instinct that home dogs lack. To be clear: Buck isn't visually perfect. Sure, there are a few scenes where the CGI becomes too overwhelming and awkward. However, it doesn't detract from the heartfelt narrative. Buck is undoubtedly the main character. He has emotional conflicts, personal motivations, a distinct personality that changes along with his adventures, and a part of him that he needs to explore. The first half of the film is packed with action, fun, and a clear purpose. It's extremely captivating and entertaining, even if it follows the usual, predictable storylines. Good performances from Omar Sy (Perrault) and Cara Gee (Françoise) during this portion. The second half is when Harrison Ford's character (John Thornton) finally comes in (he scarcely shows up until then). From now until the end, the movie employs a slower pace, focusing on Ford's reflection about his life, and Buck's journey to find the place where he ultimately belongs. Harrison Ford delivers such a subtle, emotional performance. I can't remember the last time I saw Ford so committed to a role. John possesses a devastating, tragic past, and Buck is able to bring some joy and fulfillment into his life. For a dog lover like myself, it's such a tear-inducing, genuine, heartwarming story. The only aspect I truly dislike is, unfortunately, Dan Stevens's character (Hal). He's just an incredibly cliche, despicable "villain", who doesn't fit with the rest of the film. I love the actor, but his over-the-top display doesn't always work, and Hal suffers a lot from his exaggerated manners and expressions. In my opinion, he could have been completely removed from the movie, and it would have been a lot better. Totally unnecessary, and lazily written subplot, to be honest. Oh, and Karen Gillan (Mercedes)? I literally just discovered she was in the film as well... The Call of the Wild is one of those movies that suffer from bad trailers. People either skip it or go in with a pre-defined negative mindset. It proves that the best (and only) way to judge a film is to simply watch it. CGI Buck isn't an animated work of art, sure, but he's far from being distracting or annoying. To be honest, I feel that he elevates a lot of emotional moments. Buck is exceptionally well-written, standing out as a complex and emotionally compelling protagonist. I laughed, I cried, and I felt entertained by all of his crazy adventures. Harrison Ford delivers his best performance of the last couple of years in a slower-paced second half of the movie, after a frenetic, action-heavy first half. Dan Stevens' character is definitely the worst aspect of the story. An unnecessary, cliche, horrible "villain" with no place in the narrative. All in all, I highly recommend giving this film a chance! Avoid its trailers, accept the fact that Buck is, indeed, an animated dog, and try to enjoy the genuinely heartfelt story at its core. Rating: B+
SWITCH.2020-04-20
★ 5/10
While 'The Call of the Wild' is ultimately a weak adaptation of the novel - it may be impossible to ever adapt it faithfully - it's still an okay family flick hampered by an over-reliance on CGI. - Jake Watt Read Jake's full article... https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-the-call-of-the-wild-a-mild-journey-into-the-uncanny-valley
CinemaSerf2022-03-29
★ 7/10
Harrison Ford makes for quite a decent, hardy, pioneer in this rather engaging tale of a dog and master relationship. "Buck" is pinched from his comfortable life in warm and cosy California, taken north to Alaska (without John Wayne) and sold as a sled dog. Initially on the postal run life becomes one hell of a shock to his system; hard work, meagre meals - but he soon settles down and becomes a beast of great resilience and value. When the postal service is scaled back, his position becomes precarious, he briefly falls into the hands of the nasty, unlikely cast Dan Stevens ("Hal") before a massive feat of strength and endurance finds him his new owner, the rugged loner "Thornton" (Ford) who takes him deep into the lonely wilderness where adventures (and romance) lurk... It's a good story, this. Jack London's original imagination is well captured and the Canadian Yukon makes for a perfect substitute as the cold and harshness of their environment is brought home to us. Stevens is not particularly menacing as their gold-pursuing nemesis, however, but Ford is effective and makes for quite a convincing old curmudgeon. It's for a family audience, so much of the grittiness is left out but I still quite enjoyed it