'The Call Of The Wild' review: A charming canine caper

"Hey Buck, can I call you Chewie instead?" Photos: Walt Disney Studios

This is the story of a dog. Yes, yes, I know, there have been 101 stories about dogs in the cinemas lately, so what makes this one different?

Well, for one, this movie is based on The Call Of The Wild a novel by Jack London that was published in 1903, and has had numerous film adaptations, the earliest a silent film released in 1923. Subsequent films based on the novel include a 1935 version starring Clark Gable, a 1972 film starring Charlton Heston, and an anime film that featured the voice of Bryan Cranston. So you see, this story of a dog has quite a bit of history behind it, and also star power to boot. The 2020 version of The Call Of The Wild is no different – this time around, Harrison Ford is in the leading role (as one of the dog's friends/masters, not as the dog).

Buck learnt his survival skills from the School of Ruff Knocks.