# Wild America (1997)

### reviewed by
Jamie Peck

    WILD AMERICA

    RATING: **1/2 (out of ****)

Warner Bros. / 1:46 / 1997 / PG (animal violence and intensity, language) Cast: Jonathan Taylor Thomas; Devon Sawa; Scott Bairstow; Jamey Sheridan; Frances Fisher Director: William Dear Screenplay: David Michael Wieger

A kiddie nature adventure where the special effects aren't too special, "Wild America" is more "When Fake Animals Attack" than a "National Geographic" special. But it's no painful sit -- this entertaining, if uninvolving, yarn does more than a few things right, starting with a nice, hokey setup and some rather interesting main characters. Whenever the sights cause unintentional hilarity, there are usually assets to fall back on. And when there's not ... well, everyone can use a good chuckle now and then.

"Wild America" takes place in 1967 and charts a summer in the early lives of the Stouffer siblings, a trio of Arkansas brothers who would eventually become wildlife photographers for the nature program that shares its name with the film. At 18, Marty (appealing Scott Bairstow) is the eldest, locking horns with their trucker dad (Jamey Sheridan) over future career paths. Vain, 16-year-old Mark (Devon Sawa, frequently shirtless for some reason) can't get enough of the ladies. And baby bro Marshall (Home Improvement's Jonathan Taylor Thomas), who's 12, is very much a dreamer. Manned with a brand new camera, all three take off on a cross-country tour to capture exclusive footage of endangered species, but don't stop to consider the danger they're placing themselves in.

A meatier budget could have helped things considerably -- it's hard to get excited over some of the creature contact when the animals are obviously phony. A runaway moose hoists Marshall up on its antlers for a wild ride, but it looks too artificial. The same can be said for a run-in with supposedly-venomous rattlesnakes. And the movie's nature-set climax, where the boys stumble into a bear den (hibernating in the heat?) and wake its occupants up, falls flat on its face thanks to -- yep, you guessed it -- actors in furry suits. A "Mystery Science Theater 3000" interlude would have been much appreciated amidst all of this weirdness. And speaking of weird, wait'll you see Danny Glover's peculiar turn as a crazy mountain man!

While large chunks of "Wild America" are dopey -- and some even too heavy-handed (there's needless "spiritual" filler involving a pet owl and a destined plane ride) -- the movie still clicks as a honest showcase for three fine young actors and nice wildlife footage; clips from the Stouffers' real movies are even shown during the end credits, and are worth sticking around for. The situations that Bairstow, Sawa and Thomas are put into don't always ring true, but their camaraderie feels right, and elevates the film past such recent family-oriented fare as "Far From Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog" and "Alaska." "Wild America" certainly means well, and the story holds enough promise to keep you diverted, if never fully satisfied.

© 1997 Jamie Peck E-mail: jpeck1@gl.umbc.edu Visit the Reel Deal Online: http://www.gl.umbc.edu/~jpeck1/

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