Disney used to be the undisputed leader in animation, but lately the studio has been trailing behind its competitors, and in more ways than one. Nowhere is this more evident than in The Wild, the second film Disney has released since abandoning traditional hand-drawn animation for the computer-generated kind. (The first was Chicken Little.)

The movie concerns a rather domesticated lion who lives in a New York City zoo but one day catches a boat for Africa with some of his buddies of various species—and if that premise sounds familiar, it may be because you saw, or at least heard of, the DreamWorks cartoon Madagascar when it came out less than a year ago. Animated films of this quality take a few years to produce, so there's no need to assume the similarity is anything more than a coincidence; however, the proximity between the release dates for the two films does invite comparison, and, quite apart from the fact that Disney was beaten to the punch, it certainly doesn't help The Wild that it is the less entertaining and memorable of the two films.

Larry the Anaconda, Nigel the Koala, Bridget the Giraffe, and Samson the Lion try to escape the asphalt jungle

Larry the Anaconda, Nigel the Koala, Bridget the Giraffe, and Samson the Lion try to escape the asphalt jungle

This time, the story concerns a lion named Samson (voiced by Kiefer Sutherland), who roars for the crowds and regales his son Ryan (Greg Cipes) with tall tales about his exploits back on the Dark Continent. Ryan likes these stories, but he is also frustrated by them, because they remind him that he is not old enough to roar like his old man—or should that be old mane? Anyway, whenever he does try to roar, he barely gets beyond a meow, and everyone at the zoo—human guests, animal residents—laughs at him, which fills Ryan with even more shame. One day Ryan hops a fence and loiters inside a cargo container that, he has been told, will take animals to "the wild"—and when the humans come and take him away accidentally, Samson and his friends follow close behind, to try to take him back. (A father goes on a long journey to retrieve his son? Sounds like a rehash of Finding Nemo.)

The story that follows is somewhat episodic, as you might expect, but none of the episodes makes much of an impression. First Samson and his friends—Nigel the gets-no-respect koala (Eddie Izzard, who easily and effortlessly steals the movie), Bridget the neurotic giraffe (Janeane Garofalo), Larry the clueless snake (Richard Kind) and Benny the streetwise squirrel (Jim Belushi)—have to figure out where the cargo container is going, so they consult a pigeon that speaks with an East Indian accent so exaggerated it brings Peter Sellers to mind. Then they make their way through New York, dodging some rabid dogs; the leader of this frothing-at-the-mouth pack is a poodle, which is cute, but this detail doesn't really go anywhere. Then they travel through a sewer, where they encounter a couple of alligators; the punchline to this scene is also mildly amusing, but quickly forgotten.

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Among the obstacles are a pack of rabid dogs on New York's mean streets

Among the obstacles are a pack of rabid dogs on New York's mean streets

Then, Samson and his friends commandeer a small boat, and since they apparently have an unlimited supply of fuel, they pursue the freighter carrying Ryan's cargo container all the way to Africa. Once they have landed, the animals are separated, and each one has his or her own little adventure, but eventually one storyline dominates the others. It seems a cult of wildebeests who gather inside a volcano are tired of being prey for the lions, and want to turn the tables. If they could only become carnivores, they would be able to turn the food chain upside-down—and for reasons too bizarre to spell out here, they believe Nigel the koala, of all creatures, has the power to enable this. (A furry animal who complains that he never gets respect is separated from his friends and suddenly elevated to godhood by volcano-based worshippers? Sounds like a rehash of Ice Age: The Meltdown.)

This is perhaps where The Wild suffers most in comparison to Madagascar. Unlike that other film, which explored in a subversive and poignant way what returning to the wild would mean for the city-bred animals themselves, The Wild has no interest in the jungle beyond setting up a few more obstacles on Samson's quest to retrieve his son. Both films play up the ease with which lions are fed in captivity—at one point, Samson opens a drawer and fetches a slab of meat carved in the shape of a rabbit—but The Wild misses the chance to explore what might happen once the lions have to fend for themselves. Instead, we get underdeveloped gags involving German dung beetles, or bickering chameleons who are little more than convenient plot devices; and meanwhile, the relationship between carnivore and herbivore is wasted on some fanatics and their futile desire to ignore their true nature.


Funny penguins—a bit too reminiscent of 'Madagascar'

The Wild is the first film to be directed by special-effects veteran Steve "Spaz" Williams, and it has received some attention in Canada because it was made by an outfit in Toronto. This may explain the appearance of some Canada geese at one point, as well as the fact that the cast has its share of Canucks, including Sutherland and William Shatner, who takes yet another self-deprecating crack at his own eccentric vanity by playing the wildebeests' cult leader as a wannabe choreographer who tut-tuts his followers for getting their dance steps wrong. Audiences up north might also get a kick out of hearing legendary hockey coach Don Cherry provide the voice of the penguin who MCs a curling match at the zoo.

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But the film is crippled by Williams' inexperience as a storyteller. One thing follows another, but the story never really builds any momentum, and few if any character moments are allowed to sink in. What's more, the movie doesn't look and feel quite right; the animation tries to be so detailed and realistic that you actually notice how fake the animals are, and the music alternates between Alan Silvestri's loud and intrusive score and a bunch of bland, earnest rock songs. The Wild is pretty tame, and in the increasingly crowded, competitive, survival-of-the-fittest world of computer animation, it meows but does not roar.

Talk About It

  Discussion starters
  1. Samson tells his son Ryan that "the wild" can really be found inside their hearts. What do you think?

  2. Can you be "wild" inside if you have never been to "the wild" outside? Do you think the experience of being in "the wild" changes Samson, or Ryan, in any way? Should it?

  3. What do you think about the stories Samson tells Ryan about his adventures in "the wild"? Is it okay to tell stories that aren't true? Can made-up stories become true?

  4. At one point, Nigel has to choose between being a "god" and helping his friends. How does this compare or contrast with what Jesus did (John 15:13; Philippians 2:5-11)? Do you think Nigel would have been happy if he had continued to pretend to be a "god"? Can people handle the pressure of pretending to be "gods"? What happens to them if they try?

  5. The wildebeests want to change the food chain, and put themselves on top. Is it good to want to change your very nature? How can you tell whether your desire for change is motivated by a desire for God's will in your life or a desire for selfish gain?


The Family Corner

For parents to consider

The Wild is rated G. There are some threats of violence, but nothing serious, plus there are a few slapstick gags of the sort where creatures hurt their groins or propel themselves through their own gas. Also, some characters talk about "the gods"—especially the wildebeests, who worship an idol based on a toy which fell from the sky. A squirrel in love with a giraffe also makes a few mostly subtle remarks expressing his attraction.

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What Other Critics Are Saying
compiled by Jeffrey Overstreet

from Film Forum, 04/20/06

Here's a quiz for the kids: Name the most recent animated movie in which a lion, a giraffe, and a bunch of penguins get out of the zoo. If you said Madagascar, you're wrong. The animals are out of the zoo. Again.

The only thing critics find really "wild" about Disney's The Wild is its resemblance to Madagascar, last year's CGI movie from Dreamworks. Most say the animation is more detailed and textured, but the storytelling could have used the same level of attention. If the comparisons to Madagascar aren't derivative enough, the plot is driven by elements that resemble Finding Nemo, as a single father sets out on a desperate quest to find and bring back his wandering son.

David DiCerto (Catholic News Service) writes: "While hardly among Disney's classics3and there's not a memorable song3if you're looking for good-natured family fun, you could do far worse than heeding the call of The Wild."

Lisa Rice (Crosswalk) is more enthusiastic. "It seems that Disney is finally catching up with Pixar on its mix of animation genius and inviting storylines, and undoubtedly audiences will devour this latest Disney treat."

A large majority of mainstream critics are panning The Wild, saying it makes them even more grateful for Pixar, the studio that knows how to do all-ages animation right.

from Film Forum, 04/27/06

Andrew Coffin (World) says, "As with Ice Age: The Meltdown, The Wild's creators are convinced that nothing is so funny or entertaining as a kick, whack, swat, fall, bonk, or smack. The voice talent present here is impressive, and it lends some humor to the characters, but these animal-shaped punching bags just don't register with the heart."



Marcus Yoars (Plugged In) says, "Apparently aiming at the 4-and-under crowd with loud, grating and well-worn attempts at humor, the filmmakers seem to bank on the fact that moviegoers will completely overlook just how unoriginal the material here is. … Add up these and other copycat segments and the final mix is what should've been a straight-to-DVD effort. Instead, parents who decide the film's potty humor, double entendres, language issues and slapstick violence aren't that big of a deal will be forced to stay awake at the multiplex hoping young ears and eyes will also catch a few positive messages. Namely, ones that accentuate the importance of parent-child relationships and how being true to yourself is better than living a lie."

The Wild
Our Rating
2 Stars - Fair
Average Rating
 
(2 user ratings)ADD YOURSHelp
Mpaa Rating
Directed By
Steve 'Spaz' Williams
Run Time
1 hour 22 minutes
Cast
Kiefer Sutherland, Jim Belushi, Eddie Izzard
Theatre Release
April 14, 2006 by Walt Disney Pictures
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