Benji the Hunted

This is a film appreciated most by those who enjoy nature and animals. There is little speaking in the film as the star of the film is Benji, and he is lost in the wild and away from humans. (There is maybe a minute or two of dialogue at most in the entire film.) This film entirely focuses on Benji and some wild kittens that he takes care of in the wild and tries to keep from danger. It's a cute film, but it also shows us the not-so-cute side of nature when some of the kittens end up in fatal situations. A touching film, Benji the Hunted will be enjoyed by children and it sends a good and honest message to us about nature and survival.

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.

Very cute, a film almost completely speechless, the star is Benji amidst the dangers of the forest, a month always looking to help the less fortunate and lost puppies, cuter, sweeter and the final, exciting reunion, the trail, simple and captivating sound design, all very simple, delicate and pure... How not to love...

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.

It's been years and years since I've seen this one but I remember it very fondly. Perhaps one of neatest things about the movie is that there is little to no dialog so we don't have to worry about horrible actors.

Benji is great. He is extremely convincing when he stops to ponder various situations like when he knows his owner is nearby but he decides against going home right away.

I just happened across the page for Benji but now that I have, I think I need to get to Blockbuster to pick this one up. I highly recommend.