In the 1990s there seemed to be a new mini-trend for BORN FREE-type movies detailing animal conservation in Africa. RUNNING WILD is one such film, a South African-shot movie featuring conservationist John Vardy playing himself, taking two orphaned leopard cubs into care and raising them almost single-handedly.
Unfortunately this low budget tale feels quite twee and very artificial. The quality of the writing is below par and the script is very obvious in its depiction of human agencies and villains. The lead actress, Brooke Shields, plays a real airhead type character who just wanders through the scenery and gazes at the pretty creatures.
RUNNING WILD's one saving grace is the stock nature footage, which is worth tuning in for. The leopard cubs are invariably cute and there are some other strong bits included, like predation footage which comes as a shock in places. The viewer gets a good knowledge of animal behaviour in its own environment, but I would have much preferred this to be a straightforward documentary feature rather than a failed attempt to make a real film.
Unfortunately this low budget tale feels quite twee and very artificial. The quality of the writing is below par and the script is very obvious in its depiction of human agencies and villains. The lead actress, Brooke Shields, plays a real airhead type character who just wanders through the scenery and gazes at the pretty creatures.
RUNNING WILD's one saving grace is the stock nature footage, which is worth tuning in for. The leopard cubs are invariably cute and there are some other strong bits included, like predation footage which comes as a shock in places. The viewer gets a good knowledge of animal behaviour in its own environment, but I would have much preferred this to be a straightforward documentary feature rather than a failed attempt to make a real film.