ZOOP in Afrika

This is based on a popular TV series and the movie targets the same age group of 6-12 year old children. There is almost a character for every child to identify with.

The story is about an exchange program of Dutch zoo rangers so they end up in South Africa to experience the obvious threats of animals and humans. Among others there is a wildlife park manager with some lucrative but not too wildlife-friendly ideas. There is at least a positive wildlife message here.

Dutch acting schools are not the best in the world and it shows. The script is badly written. There is some tradition of good camera-work, it is above average here.

This is fun if you don't want to go to the zoo to see some animals. That's all there is. I saw this just before the infinitely better Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, so I would recommend sending your kid there.

Eight kids go on an adventure to Africa. When their plane crashes in the jungle they have to finds ways to survive. The film is a roller-coaster ride aimed at kids aged 6 to 14, and feels like a pre-teen Raiders of the Lost Ark. The kids that I went to see it with had lots of laughs, lots of thrills and loved the romance between the eight Rangers. The films has scenes that revoke theme park reactions: A scorpion on Moes'back falls into his pants (!), Blonde Beauty Bionda becomes the leader of a Zulu tribe and the spectacular plane crash ends with the cockpit dangling over a canyon... Skillfully directed and a smart script. Feels like "Disney Light": no big budget, but all the fun without too much sugar.

This flick is a spin off from a TV series for primary school kids. The protagonists are a group of young animal lovers who want to become zoo keepers. These characters include the usual range of stereotypes from dumb blonde to nerd. Their task in this film is to travel to a game reserve in South Africa and combat poachers. Naturally, things go awry, which results in situations that may be exiting or funny to kids in the target age group.

The plot is of course totally unrealistic and full of holes, but that shouldn't be a problem in a kid's movie. What does bother me, though, is the archaic, if not slightly racist, depiction of black Africans in the film. Children's films from the 21st century ought not reinforce such silly stereotypes.

I'm just back from the cinema where I went to see the Zoop movie with my little sister and 2 of her friends. I really liked the movie! Even though I've seen a few of the episodes from the TV-Series (wich I liked but not that much) I was surprised how much fun the movie was/is! It was exciting adventurous and there even was romance too! All together: Zoop in Africa. I think that everybody can go to see this movie! Children, Teenagers, parents and even grandparents! And I think they all would like the movie! Well I'm going now I think the TV-Series of Zoop is on the TV right now I think I'm going to follow the series now! Bye!

Eight kids working in a Dutch zoo enter an exchange program and set off for Africa. Once there everything goes terribly wrong, but of course our kids survive. This film is aimed at an audience of kids from 8 to 14 years of age, I would say. And these will certainly enjoy the film to the full. For older kids and adults the holes in the plot are too big. Dealing with wild African animals as lions, elephants and baboons is something that entirely fails: all animals are well trained and well behaved and do not act like wild animals at all. Not AT ALL. Some actors are not very good, but overall the acting is quite acceptable. The photography however is excellent and worthy of the best Dutch cameramen, like Jan de Bont, who later became a renounced director. In all: an enjoyable film and adults should judge this film by the standards of the public it is made for. Don't be ashamed to feel childish from time to time!