El lobo y el león: Una amistad inesperada

At first I thought this is just a fiction movie? But at the end of the movie, it said the wolf & the lion are living in Canada? So this is based on true story! Amazing~

So are those CG or are those real footage of them? The storyline is beautiful. However, the acting skills.... so-so.

This is a family film for animal lovers who want nothing but good things to be shown on screen. The lovable pups playing together as they grow up and interacting with this young woman who also introduces them into classical music that she performs on the piano. It's all a wonderful setting on a small island property that she has inherited, enabling the unlikely coming together of these creatures and her desire to keep them safe and away from the grasp people wanting to exploit them. You must suspend all thoughts of time passage and quick changes in location and just allow all the heart-warming scenes to just wash over you.

Say what you will about the original (1950's) DIsney nature films, at least they had the sense to make it 100% about the animals. In this all-too-typical Canadian (gov subsidized) low-budget indie, the scenes with the animals are magical. However when the humans come into camera and we have to deal with the terrible scripting and acting, the movie goes to pot. One critical scene involves an "accidental fall" so poorly done even a 5th grader wouldn't buy it.

Alma (Molly Kunz) inherits an island home in the woods from her beloved grandfather. Joe (Graham Greene) is her godfather. She is infuriated by scientist Eli (Charlie Carrick) who is trying to trap an endangered wolf. Due to unlikely circumstances, she becomes caretaker for a wolf and a lion cubs who grow up together as brothers.

I don't know how real this is other than the wolf and the lion seem to really get along. Apparently, they were actually raised together. The animal scenes and the nature scenes are impressive. The little cubs are adorable. This would have been a great Disney animal movie back in the 70's. There are issues with the story in today's world. Lions are rarely used in circuses. A better villain is a private zoo. See Tiger King. Also, Eli is right about Alma. It's problematic to raise wild animals like they are pets. It's very much old nature film from the 70's where wild animals are pets with human feelings.

The Wolf and the Lion is a great family movie for young animal lovers. The sets and locations are very pretty, and the music is lovely. The storyline is unique, although sometimes predictable.

This story follows a 20-year-old young woman named Alma (Molly Kunz), an orphaned musician. After her grandfather dies, she inherits his house only to find that he had befriended a she-wolf and her pup. Then, after exploring the crash site of a plane, Alma finds a lion cub. The pup, Mozart, and the cub, Dreamer, soon develop an inseparable bond. But when they are separated, all seems lost. What lengths will they go to see each other again?

The most notable performances are probably those of the animal actors. The wolf and lion that play Mozart and Dreamer are not only best friends on the screen, but best friends in real life. They are now in a Canadian sanctuary where they will spend the rest of their days together. Along with the animals, Molly Kunz also has a strong performance. She really seems to care for Mozart and Dreamer, and her struggle of how to best take care of them is very visible. Also, Alma is a pianist, and Molly plays piano, too. The sets and locations of The Wolf and the Lion are stunning. The island that Alma lives on has a gorgeous lake and beautiful forests, and her house feels very homey and comforting. Overall, the story of this film is distinctive, but the ending, as well as some other scenes, is somewhat expectable.

The messages of the movie are that you are the only person who knows what's best for you and that animal welfare is important. This film depicts hiding and raising two large, potentially dangerous animals in your home.

I give The Wolf and the Lion 3 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 7 to 18, plus adults. By Katherine S., KIDS FIRST!