The Wild

Obvious plot similarities to Dreamworks' animated kid’s movie "Madagascar" haunts this superior Disney produced CG animated story about a group of New York Zoo animals that go for an unexpected boat trip to an African jungle. Samson the lion (voiced by Kiefer Sutherland), has convinced his lion cub son Ryan (Greg Cipes) and the rest of the zoo animals of his mythic experiences in the wild. The king of the zoo wears his mighty roar like a badge of honor that little Ryan can barely hope to emulate with his slight whimper of howl. When the forlorn Ryan steals away from the zoo in a shipping container, Samson and his best friend, a squirrel named Benny (Jim Belushi), are joined by Nigel the koala bear, Bridget the giraffe, and Larry the goofy anaconda to rescue Ryan from the wilds of Africa.

Rated G. 85 mins. (B+) (Four Stars)