A Safari Romance

Yes, to an earlier review. I also am confused by the Hallmark listing of the female leads name first in the credits. So very wrong.. I watched this movie for Walker's.name on the project. A fan since "Steel Toes", have never been disappointed.

This is a travelogue, a film showing the beauty to be found in nature and it's marvelous creatures. Humans are of secondary interest.

But... this film left me with a question. Since it showed the beauty of an immersive creation, the question becomes: how much of that was used in the actual filming?

That thought occurred to me- as the credits and location shots rolled. Could you place an actor in a location even though he was actually thousands of miles away? This movie proves this could actually happen. The days of green screen filming has finally evolved. Many new and innovative methods are possible. Makes me wonder.

This cast was stellar. The two leads ,of course, are familiar and top notch, but the entire cast was superb as well, whether villain or supporting or stars. A kind, thoughtful and even educational storyline with such luscious, gorgeous scenery ( including the phenomenal shots of all the animal species we saw. Just one visual treat after another.)

Brittany Bristow is always enjoyable, no matter what role she plays but this story shows her skills as a no-nonsense professional with a will of iron (I wouldn't want to fly a drone in her park!). Her basically earnest and poised personality lends itself well to this movie.

I was definitely left feeling good about the time spent watching and would certainly watch this again..

Mabula Game Lodge and Reserve in Rooiberg, South Africa with its gorgeous shots of wild animals is worth tuning in for. The footage really just takes your breath away...it's almost hard to focus in on the love story. But a love story it is between a designer who is there to get inspiration for an interactive theme park installation and a passionate park ranger who is trying to finish her research in order to get her PhD.

There were so many things to like about A Safari Romance...the footage of the animals, the use of some actual South Africans, the chemistry between the two leads, and how well two adults are able to align their careers!

I thought Andrew W. Walker and Brittany Bristow looked so great together and played off one another so well. I enjoyed both the comedy and the romance between them. It is kind of fun that it was a family affair for Brittany Bristow as both her father and mother worked on the project as the director and writer.

Romantics who are animal lovers will enjoy this and hopefully find Tim and Megan as infectious as I do.

IN A NUTSHELL: Megan Henry, a down-to-earth wildlife researcher in Africa, is forced to team up with a theme-park designer, Tim Ericson who wants to create an over-the-top safari attraction.

The film was directed by Leif Bristow, and written by his wife, Agnes Bristow. Their daughter, Brittany Bristow, is the leading lady in the movie! Her parents should be so proud of her; she's a natural. Congratulations to the family!

THINGS I LIKED:

The featured couple look great together and are played by Brittany Bristow and Andrew W. Walker. Calm down ladies...he's already married with a child.

We get to see a lot of beautiful animals in their natural habitat, especially the rare white lion.

We also get to experience South Africa and its culture, music, clothing, food, and life. In addition to the Game Reserve, we get to go to an African elementary school and a local market. It all looks magical.

The movie was filmed at Mabula Game Lodge at Rooiberg Road Rhinosterhoek Spruit in Mabula Private Game Reserve in the Limpopo Province. I'd love to go there someday! Doing an African Safari has been on my Bucket List for a long time!

The native handshake was fun.

Simone Pretorius makes a great "villain." It's refreshing to see a romance where the couple does NOT jump into bed immediately. This love story is clean and sweet.

It's also really nice to see an intelligent woman who is willing to work hard on her goals and not instantly give up her dreams just to be with a guy. Women who do that are often resentful in the end.

We get two romances, not just one.

A lot of life's challenges have to do with timing. While it's not super dramatic, that's the hero's journey in this story. In that regard, it's pretty realistic.

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE: Some people may not like how sugary-sweet everyone is. Wouldn't this be a better world if everyone was kind like this?

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Kids will be bored by the romance, but they'll enjoy seeing the animals.

No profanity Alcohol is consumed several times (but no one gets drunk)

7.4 stars.

I was not fully immersed in the experience of 'A Safari Romance', however it is a good movie overall. There are a few things missing that are hard to pin down. Maybe it's the slight lack of chemistry between the leads? I'm not sure. They both seem to be trying to be into the romance, yet there is a feeling that something is not quite right. I still enjoyed myself as I watched them interact, they are both good actors and charismatic. He is a Hallmark regular, probably a heartthrob for most of the ladies, so you really can't go wrong there. She has mainly been placed in secondary roles, but this is one of her big shots at the big time and she didn't disappoint. The plot was ok, nothing to write home about. The scenery was amazing, the camera work was brilliant, the dialogue was ok, the plot was mundane. It was entertaining enough for me to award it a solid 7 stars.