White Fang - PG
Common Sense Note
Parents should know that this movie has mature themes, such as the mistreatment of the Native American tribes by the miners, betting on dog fights, and the harshness of life in the mountains. There is a scene where wolves surround a camp and a character (off-screen) is killed while trying to protect his dog pack. A wolf is shot and crawls back to die in front of her young pup. A corpse is ejected from its coffin, characters treat an animal cruelly to make it fight, a bear chases a man but is scared away by a wolf, a character refers to the death of his parents. There is a shoot-out with no deaths but plenty of menace and a mining cave-in that threatens a character.
Families might want to discuss the frontier life-style and how Jack finds a sense of place in a location that many would find inhospitable. The characters represent a wide spectrum of approaches from the men who steal to those who look out for one another. Families may want to talk about the character of Alex and why he does not seem friendly but how his commitment to keeping promises distinguishes him as someone Jack can rely upon. How are White Fang's and Jack's lives touched by other people and what impact does this have on how they act?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Alyssa Ellsworth
Jack London fans should forgive Disney for changing the main character of his story, "White Fang" from the titular, mistreated wolf-dog to a recently orphaned young man. Jack Conroy (Ethan Hawke) pursues adventures that parallel those of the young pup, White Fang, until at last the two become fast friends. The result here is a beautifully shot, evocative adventure movie that rises above several two-dimensional "bad guy" characters, an out-of-place musical score, and the occasionally wooden dialogue.
Jack is in Alaska to follow in his recently deceased father's footsteps in mining for gold in the breathtaking mountains surrounding Klondike. To get to his claim, however, he discovers he cannot survive alone and first follows then relies upon Alex Larson (Klaus Maria Brandauer), an experienced but gruff miner who knew Jack's father. Alex becomes a fatherly figure for Jack and introduces him to the frontier life of self-reliance and hard work. Meanwhile, White Fang (so named because of his white teeth, the result of being both dog and wolf) grows from puppy to adulthood, raised first by a Native American and then by immoral men who enter him in dog fights, until he finally finds a home with Jack.
This movie is not for younger kids due to violence, language and more mature themes; however, older kids will enjoy the adventure, and parents will appreciate the scenery and the performance given by Klaus Maria Brandauer.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentVery subtle reference to prostitution, a (unmarried) couple kiss. |
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ViolenceViolence includes dog fights, gun fight, house set on fire, implied death of a character, bear attack, wolf cub's mother is shot. |
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LanguageBrief profanity, name calling. |
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Social BehaviorReference to social exclusion of Native Americans. Characters are self-reliant and trustworthy, bad guys steal from newcomers and cheat. |
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Commercialism |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoBarroom drinking, tobacco smoking, bad guys drink to excess. |
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