Initially, The Call of the Forest was released on February 19. But on the occasion of the reopening of cinemas this Monday, June 22, Disney has decided to reschedule Chris Sanders' footage. Worn by Harrison Ford and Omar Sy, the feature film is an adaptation of the eponymous novel by Jack London. Back on this nice blockbuster. Until now, Chris Sanders had distinguished himself in the world of animation. He is indeed the director of Dragons, Lilo & Stitch and The Croods. A short career in the world of animation that he left to direct The Call of the Forest. The film tells the story of how the dog Buck is abruptly torn from his family and finds himself enlisted as a sled dog in the Canadian wilderness.
A perfectly mastered family blockbuster
Call of the Forest is a pretty compelling family entertainment. Chris Sanders signs a controlled feature film, which does not revolutionize the genre, but offers a film for the whole family. The initiatory story is rather well transcribed, managing to share the power of wild immensities. Visually, L'Appel de la Forêt holds up relatively well. The landscapes are grandiose and the staging is quite licked. Even though it is an extremely formatted blockbuster, it remains an honest entertainment. 
The footage also works for the presence of Harrison Ford obviously. Even if the actor does not care much about this role, his charisma is enough to impose his presence. As for Omar Sy, he is more motivated than ever for this new American film to add to his career.
Fairly solid emotional springs
The Call of the Forest works mostly for its emotional springs. Empathy for the dog Buck is compelling and communicative. The viewer cannot remain insensitive to this digital hairball. As for the pseudo-controversy concerning the dog in CGI, it does not really have to be. At the time of the film's release, many pointed to the laziness of Chris Sanders, who preferred to materialize his dog in CGI rather than train a real animal. Critics have therefore criticized the weakness of the Hollywood world which always seeks simplicity, preferring to use special effects rather than a real dog. But it's ultimately a pretty logical choice. The prowess that the story requires requires a digital materialization of the animal. Even the best dog trainer would never have managed to order such performances from an animal. It was simply impossible. So was it necessary to point the finger at this logical choice to use CGI to create the dog? Not necessarily. The use of real animals is an undeniable plus, but in The Call of the Forest it was not a necessity, this debate frankly had no place to be. 
And then, even if Buck is in CGI, the emotional springs still work. The viewer inevitably becomes attached to the animal, which in addition, is rather well synthesized. The film thus offers a real feeling of change of scenery, a powerful human and animal adventure, until a very convincing outcome, with strong emotional power. A very cool entertainment, to recommend to the whole family. The Call of the Forest is therefore an effective, childish entertainment, but with accomplished emotional springs. As for the pseudo controversy of the dog in CGI, it has no place to be. Difficult to use a real animal when you see the prowess imposed by the story.
The Call of the Forest – Trailer
https://youtu.be/UW44P39LiF8
