Benji the Hunted

I'm 20 and this film just came on the day after Boxing Day, it looked like a cute easy-going Incredible Journey sort of thing so me and my Mum settled down to watch it and we were just blown away. I'd never heard of Benji so there weren't any expectations although it made it harder to understand the beginning. But I wish I'd seen something like that when I was a kid, and I don't care how different films are in the future - when I have children I will DEFINITELY sit them down to watch Benji the Hunted! The acting was frankly astonishing for a dog, and I laughed out loud when the little dark kitten went up to the bear and tried to growl. How they got a small male dog to run up and down and even climb cliffs with cougar cubs in his mouth I will never know. In short, a 20 year old and a 49 year old give this movie 4 big thumbs up and even Dad watched it all the way through, although he'd never admit to liking it

As with the first two adventures the performance of Benji in this movie is amazing. What's more the makers have a bigger budget so the set pieces involving wild animals and the photography throughout is really sensational. Again this film got largely ignored - which is truly a shame.

Truly truly remarkable filming ....would love to know how they got a male dog to cart around wild baby cougar kittens...totally fascinating! To see how they made this film would be awe inspiring! Many direct tv stations are now showing this film...its about time...the music alone is fantastic and right in rhythm with the events in the film. Benji is trained superbly!!...need more films like this....

I remember seeing the first two Benji movies as a kid, but when this came out, I was in high school and didn't have an interest in seeing it during that time in my life. Just now watched this on DVD, twenty years later after it was released in theaters, and I can honestly say that my girlfriend and I truly enjoyed this movie. Some of the peril might be a little upsetting for small children or sensitive viewers, but it simulated drama that was more compelling than the first two Benji movies. The first movie will always be a classic, but this movie seemed to be more effective, probably due to the setting and the plot. Having less cheesy human dialog like the first two movies had was refreshing as well. Just letting the animals "act" made for an enjoyable movie watching experience. Anyone who is an animal lover will really love this movie! I highly recommend it!

Benji the Hunted is a movie that will surely bring a warm joy to animal lovers. The biggest strength of the movie is the detailed portrayal of emotions by the animal star-cast. It is nearly impossible to miss the perfection with which director Joe Camp captures even tiny details like the trembling legs of cougar kittens that followed Benji, the innocence of their faces, or even their spontaneous playful nature. The movie is not about Benji performing breath-taking complicated maneuvers to save the day, rather how Benji faces the day-to-day challenges of living in the wild with the added responsibility of four orphaned cougar kittens. The challenges of the wild are plentiful, enough to keep your eyes hooked to the screen. Yet it's not a fast-paced thriller which would have cost the movie its credibility as a realistic one. The human actors in the movie have very limited role, and the director wastes no time in bundling them out of limelight. Benji again emerges as a hero, showing a big "human" heart, and the message of peace and non-violence is very effectively communicated in the movie. The background score is average, yet does its job efficiently by not distracting the audience from the movie. It is a family movie suitable for all age groups, and a recommended watch for all animal lovers.