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Is The Call of The Wild Movie Kid Friendly? | Movie Review

The CALL OF THE WILD is what you can call an overall family-friendly film, but is it ok for all kids? Be cautious with little ones, especially kids who love animals. While The Call of the Wild can be kid friendly and is a heartwarming tale of man and beast, some scenes with animal cruelty may be too much for kids under 8 years old (and even older).  

Is The Call of the Wild movie kid friendly?

Is The Call of the Wild Movie Kid Friendly?

Adapted from Jack London’s novel, The Call of the Wild, Buck, a spoiled domestic dog, is suddenly taken to Alaska during the Gold Rush of the 1890s. He goes from master to master, not knowing what adventure or peril awaits him next. 

Is The Call of The Wild kid friendly? Parents need to know there are violent scenes with animals as well as weapons used to kill. 

Language

The only language I heard was one use of the word hell, and a “son of a..” that never gets finished.

Violence

Here’s where The Call of the Wild gets tricky for young children. There are scenes where Buck is beaten by a club, but the club is raised and the action is implied. you don’t see the actual beating on screen. However, for small children other scenes may be difficult, because the CGI dogs express emotion in their faces, and it’s easier to tell they are sad.

There is also a scary scene where two dogs fight each other and one eats another animal. There is also a bar fight, and a gun is shown in different scenes, killing a character.

Mature Content

Harrison Ford’s character, John Thornton, lost a son and drinks alcohol a lot. Be mindful of the topic of death and divorce.

Is The Call of The Wild Appropriate for Kids Under 8?

I think the story of The Call of the Wild is beautiful. However, I would recommend the movie for kids ages 10 and up. The Call of the Wild is rated PG for some violence, peril, and mild language, so kids younger than 10 could enjoy it, depending how they react to those things.

At 1 hour and 40 minutes, the length isn’t bad, but there are some parts that do run slow. At one point I found myself waiting for them to get to the point, but some of my favorite scenes were when Buck was a mail carrier dog. 

I was really worried about the CGI animals, because that’s one reason I didn’t like the The Lion King live-action movie. And it wasn’t as bad as I was expecting, but after watching Togo on Disney+ (which is fantastic!), it was hard for me to ignore.

CGI animals can sometimes be too expressive, forcing the emotion. The CGI humanized the animals, which in my opinion, was unnecessary. The story itself would have done the same thing, but in a natural way.

I enjoyed Buck in every home he found himself, thus leading him on a journey to his destiny. 

The Humans in The Call of The Wild

Now the humans, they’re the ones who made the movie. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t dislike Buck or the other animals. However the supporting actors really brought the story to life.

Is The Call of the Wild ok for kids?

Perrault (Omar Sy) is a fearless leader with charisma and charm. He could always make me smile and brought some humor to the film as well as heart.

Harrison Ford did an excellent job of playing a man who lost everything, who headed to the Yukon to escape it all and instead found Buck. One of the most emotional quotes in The Call of the Wild was from John as he was talking to Buck about his desperation to find peace, “But I know as I am there may be no home for me in this world.”

The Call of the Wild is not without merit, but it has flaws. I’m a champion of family friendly films like The Call of the Wild, because I think we need more of them. If you’re an animal lover, just prepare yourself for a roller coaster of emotions. The Call of the Wild is an adventure worth taking, just be careful of bringing little ones. 

The Call of the Wild is in theaters now!

For more kid friendly reviews:

Is Pixar’s Onward Kid Friendly?

Is Sonic the Hedgehog Kid Friendly?

Should you take kids to see The Call of The Wild?
 

Is Pixar's Onward Kid Friendly? What Ages Should See Onward?

Monday 2nd of March 2020

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