THE WILD
A better-than-average animated adventure for older children and adults.
Should You Watch It?
You can take your family to THE WILD for a brisk, entertaining adventure with a good moral center. The story values courage, self-sacrifice, family, protecting loved ones, and overcoming fear. At 81 minutes, it avoids wearing out its welcome.
The film is not especially creative, particularly because it resembles MADAGASCAR in its setup of domesticated New York zoo animals facing culture shock in the jungle. Still, amusing characters, exciting moments, and a clear denunciation of pagan sacrifice and polytheism give it worthwhile strengths.
Some scenes may be too scary for younger children. For older children and adults, the practical answer is simple: WORTH THE TRIP.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESRyan is a young lion who has grown up admiring the wilderness stories of his father, Samson. Believing that he must face danger to mature from cub to lion, Ryan gets his chance when he is mistakenly transported away from the New York City zoo.
Samson and a lively group of zoo animals set out to rescue him. Their search carries them from New York Harbor to Africa, where Ryan and his rescuers face the dangers of the wild.
Is It Any Good?
Three stars means THE WILD is a better-than-average movie with enough amusement and excitement to hold your interest. Its crisp 81-minute running time helps the adventure move along, and the characters provide several appealing comic moments.
Eddie Izzard stands out as the voice of Nigel, a stuffy koala bear with a British accent. William Shatner is also effective as the scary villain, Kazar. A short curling match involving penguins and a turtle adds another pleasant touch.
The film’s main weakness is its lack of creativity. Its plot and setup closely resemble MADAGASCAR. Even so, THE WILD purrs strongly enough to entertain.
The Worldview
THE WILD stresses courage, self-sacrifice, family, protecting loved ones from danger, and overcoming personal fear. Those are positive moral virtues, and the film presents them through Ryan’s coming-of-age journey and Samson’s determination to rescue his son.
The movie also includes false quasi-religious elements. Kazar is a deluded pagan who believes Nigel is a divine chosen one sent by the gods. People of faith will appreciate that the film rebukes pagan sacrifice and polytheism as silly, misguided beliefs.
The film’s central emphasis on courage is consistent with Scripture’s call to trust God rather than surrender to fear: “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Strong moral worldview stresses the importance of courage, self-sacrifice and family, as well as the need to protect loved ones from danger, and the importance of overcoming personal fear, with false quasi-religious elements of polytheism and pagan sacrifice in which a tribe of wildebeests’ leader claims to be a prophet waiting for a divine chosen one from the gods which he believes to be a koala bear, though this belief is clearly rebuked as silly, deluded and misguided; no foul language; strong, sometimes scary, cartoon violence involving battles and confrontations between wildebeasts and lions, scary alligators turn out to be friendly, animals knocked out, animal on tree that falls off cliff, rocks fall on animal, villain wants to throw lion into fiery pit to cook and eat lion, and scary villain threatens animals, including child animal; no sexual references, though a squirrel kisses a giraffe; no alcohol; no drugs; and, kidnapping, deception, boa dresses up as Carmen Miranda, and father tells stories to son about his life in the wild that aren't true.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Ryan believes he must face fear to become who he is meant to be. What is the difference between courage and simply rushing into danger?
Joshua 1:9 · Proverbs 14:16Samson and the zoo animals risk themselves to protect Ryan. What does loving your family look like when someone you love is in danger?
1 John 3:16–18 · Philippians 2:4Kazar claims that the gods have chosen Nigel. Why is it important to test religious claims rather than accept them simply because someone speaks confidently?
Deuteronomy 6:4–5 · Acts 17:11Ryan wants to overcome his personal fear. What fears do you need to bring honestly to God?
Psalm 56:3–4 · 2 Timothy 1:7The Final Word
THE WILD is not Disney’s most creative animated adventure, but it is amusing, exciting, morally positive, and brief enough to keep your family engaged. Older children and adults can enjoy its emphasis on courage, family, and self-sacrifice. WORTH THE TRIP.
