Wild America

I certainly don't have the credentials to analyze screenplays or actors performances. I'm just a ordinary guy who enjoyed this movie immensely. I will say this about anyone who doesn't enjoy this movie... I don't think I'd like having a beer them. Watch the movie, it's pretty darn good in my book. :)

When I heard that Jonathan Taylor Thomas was doing a movie with Devon Sawa at the height of my teenybopper stage, needless to say I was excited. The weird thing is that I still love this movie now. The plot follows the three Stouffer brothers, Marty, Mark, and Marshall, following their dreams to get out of their small town and dead-end future as mechanics and go out and film animals. Not just any animals, though, the "biggest bad-a**es of the animal kingdom," which results in a few thrilling, sometimes comic adventures for the three brothers. The brothers want the piece de resistance of their film to be an infamous cave where a group of bears are reputed to sleep together, the rumor that actually starts their trip and leads to the biggest adventure of all. This movie is full of hope that dreams can come true, as cheesy as that sounds, and is even better as it is a true story based on the naturalists behind Wild America. Great shots of animals, as well (not counting fake bear suits).

I thought this flick was great fun. I thought the acting was pretty decent and not as bad as other people say. Sure, the three leads are all teen idols, but I am not going to knock their performances because of that. Still, I continue to enjoy this flick, and always will

Despite the three young actors being "teen idols," they pulled off really good chemistry throughout the film. My primary faults with the film are not with the acting at all, but with the screenplay. Because of the writer's desire to put everything possible into one movie, he sabotaged its overall effectiveness. Is this a classic teen idol flick? Is it a nature film? Is it comedy/drama/action? It's really hard to say, as it doesn't succeed as any of the above! There are too many side-plots -- does the owl really need to be there? Or Leon? Or the man in the mountain? There are too many relationships given just a hint of substance, such as that with Mom, the town bully, the local girls, the college girls... In addition, Mark's character has little opportunity to develop, and the other boys leave a great deal to the imagination. And I ask you, is it necessary for Marshall to have three different nicknames? This is, unfortunately, one more movie that could have been really great. As it is, it is a fun film without enough substance.

On a side note, is there any particular reason that only one of the Stouffer brothers was involved in producing the show? I find that a little odd, myself.

I recently watched this movie on a Sunny Sunday morning whilst in bed, sounds very ideological, but is true. I must say I do not believe it is all that bad. OK at times the screenplay does stray away from it's original context and the stereotypical WASP family may reinforce unrealistic portrayals of Hollywood, but with this, with a little effort on our behalf, we the audience can allow ourselves to be whisked away into the young boys adventure, out of the harsh realities of life. When analysed, issues of father and son relationships and the transition of boy to manhood become quite clear. Taking into consideration that the film was made nearly ten years ago, I feel it serves importantly as balance between strong realism and fairy tale.