The Call of the Wild : Movie review

I had recently re read The Call of the Wild by Jack London.  Its a journey of a dog named Buck which gets kidnapped and ultimately finds its true calling amidst the wild. 

Buck leads a cozy life in sunny California until that day when he is kidnapped. To his dismay, Buck finds himself as a part of a pack of sled dogs. The story traces his change, survival and how he ultimately finds his place as a leader of the pack. Buck is also subjected to harsh treatment-the aspect that makes several readers hate the book especially dog/animal lovers. 

The movie is a kinder version of the book. It focuses largely on the rapport between John Thorthon and Buck. John Thorthon played by Harrison Ford posts letters to his dead son and manages to rescue Buck from being beaten to death. He adopts Buck as his own son and ultimately ventures into the Alaskan Wilderness where Buck finds his home. 

While some of the critics may have been disappointed with the movie, I personally found it endearing. Whether its in the scene where John rescues Buck from cruel hands or when Buck rescues John from the bar or comes to his aid in the last scene. It reiterates the fact that dog is man's best friend as showcased in several movies. The Richard  Gere starrer Haachi instantly comes to my mind. 

The cinematography is spectacular. Its one thing to read about nature and a good author transports readers to the place. However its different feeling when you experience it as a visual treat. Certainly makes you want to visit Alaska. Watching The call of the wild left me with a feel good factor-something that I couldn't derive from the book. The movie may not have been completely authentic to the book. The latter left me with mixed feelings.