Harrison Ford’s Underrated Adventure Movie Becomes a Global Netflix Hit, 5 Years Later

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Harrison Ford is best known for iconic roles like Han Solo and Indiana Jones, but he’s acted in many other kinds of movies. He’s starred in everything from action films like Air Force One to dramas like Witness and even romantic comedies like Working Girl, consistently showing his talent and proving he’s more than just an action star. While he has a long list of popular films, some of his lesser-known work is now finding a wider audience thanks to streaming services. A great example of this is the 2020 movie The Call of the Wild.

The movie Call of the Wild is currently the eighth most popular film on Netflix worldwide. Between December 1st and 7th, it was viewed 3.8 million times, just ahead of Frankenstein. Viewers watched a total of 6.4 million hours of Call of the Wild during that week, marking its first time appearing in Netflix’s top 10.

Call of the Wild Underwhelmed at the Box Office, but It’s Worth Watching

The movie Call of the Wild came out in theaters just before the COVID-19 pandemic shut everything down in early 2020. Even without the pandemic, it wasn’t a huge blockbuster. It opened with $24.7 million in ticket sales, landing in second place behind Sonic the Hedgehog. Ultimately, the film earned $62.3 million domestically and $111.1 million worldwide, which was a letdown given its high production cost of $125 to $150 million. Despite this, The Call of the Wild is still a good movie to check out on Netflix.

The movie The Call of the Wild is adapted from Jack London’s novel of the same name and tells the story of Buck, a Saint Bernard and Scotch Shepherd mix, and his close relationship with John Thornton (Ford). Chris Sanders, previously known for directing animated films like Lilo & Stitch and How to Train Your Dragon, directed the film. This marked Sanders’ first time directing a live-action movie, but the story was a good fit, as he’s skilled at creating heartwarming tales about the bonds between people and animals. Critics generally liked the movie, praising Sanders’ approach to this classic story.

The strongest part of Call of the Wild is the relationship between Buck and Thornton. Harrison Ford is perfectly cast as Thornton – a tough character with a kind heart. Once you adjust to the computer-generated imagery used to create Buck, he feels like a real, compelling character, and it’s easy to become invested in his story and charmed by his personality. While the digital effects might seem a little strange at first (many critics pointed this out), they become less noticeable as the movie goes on. The other actors don’t have much screen time, so the connection between Buck and Thornton is what really drives the film.

While not specifically a Christmas movie, The Call of the Wild is a great choice for holiday viewing due to its cozy winter setting and feel-good story. It’s wonderful that this film is finally getting the recognition it deserves. Though it might not be director Sanders’ most famous work – he was previously nominated for an Oscar for The Wild Robot – it shows he’s a versatile filmmaker, and it will be exciting to see if he makes more live-action movies in the future.

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2025-12-14 19:40