Parents' Guide to Safari

The two child leads are wonderfully adorable in this Kenyan family adventure, but the film lacks any kind of refinement or precision. Working with what seems to be very little, Safari manages to portray a decent story, with very amiable characters, but the lack of polish and amateurish representation firmly makes this somewhat enjoyable movie feel unfinished. For some, perhaps, the rhythm of the dialogue, editing, and shot sequences will not be bothersome, but for others, the overall lack of production quality will make the film feel too much like a very decent student-made film. The action sequences, like the chase scene, the poachers' behavior in general, and lots of the acting, leave a lot to be desired. There are illogical gaps and some hastily concluded sequences, like in the end.

But there are wonderful scenes of wildlife, wild animals in nature preserves, and Kenyan life. The film could have also done more with the commentary about certain Kenyans discriminating against the main characters because they "don't look like they have money," but understandably, as a family film, it only touches on the subject.