The French remake of Robinson Crusoe's story makes it to American Theaters
New York – The last adaptation of the timeless classic, Robinson Crusoe, got its release last March in Belgium under the name of “The Wild Life.”
This new approach tells a whole different story from that of the book and creates a new wild atmosphere for the little ones. The PG-1 movie hit the U.S. theaters on Friday, September 9th.
The Wild Life was the French bet to create a child-friendly version of the literary classic Robinson Crusoe. It maintains some of the original names, but in this story, the famous adventurer receives help from a group of animals.
The animated film promises to introduce young generations to a classic story with new exciting features and a comic background.
The Wild Life history
The plot develops around Robinson Crusoe and how he strives to make a life after surviving a shipwreck. However, the director opted for a naive/brave version of the character.
He wasn’t the only survivor as his loyal companion dog makes it to a wild island with him. The talking dog is the only company Crusoe has during the first days on the island, and it’s rather supportive.
After the first couple of days, the adventure breaks all ties with the book as a series of colorful animal characters appear onscreen, and they try to get Robinson out of the island using their unique skills.
The animals include birds, goats, cats, dogs and even a chameleon. They all have semi-cliché personalities and the interaction between them is what gives the comedic touch to the movie.
The antagonists are a group of pirates that arrive at the island looking for the hero. As a result, the animals end up banding with Crusoe to get rid of the criminals.
What do the critics say about the movie?
Some of the critics claim the dialogs suffered a lot during the translation process from French to English. According to them, some of the jokes are difficult to understand, and the characters’ personality gets a little confusing.
However, the Wild Life is a movie for kids, and they might not care a lot about that. The critics praised the animation, the colorful settings, and the design of the animals.
All in all, it is a good Summer movie for kids, and the parents may enjoy the the jokes with hidden references to the book. The English version of the Wild Life premiered today in the US.
Source: The Columbus Dispatch