What happens when the circle of life -- the one triumphantly celebrated at the start of Disney's The Lion King - needs a human cog to keep the wheel turning?
That's the central question asked and answered by David Lickley's Born to Be Wild, a 3D nature film making its way to IMAX screens across the nation. Narrator Morgan Freeman (you were expecting, maybe, Gilbert Gottfried?) describes this story as a fairy tale, though one whose storybook ending remains in question. Whether it's happy or sad is up to us, but more on that in a second.
Wild relays the unique professional stories of two remarkable women called to remarkably similar work. In Kenya, Dame Daphne Sheldrick has dedicated decades of her life to running a sanctuary for orphaned elephants who have lost their mothers to poachers. Many miles and multiple cultures away, Birute Galdikas operates a likeminded program for baby orangutan. Each woman (and their highly committed staffs) nurture these animals as long as is deemed necessary, preparing them for life among their animal peers in the wild.
"They are just like our children," Sheldrick says, and she means it. There is a deep parental love expressed by both Sheldrick and Galdikas, and Wild astutely captures the affection these women have for their animal charges. The film is short - clocking in at just under 45 minutes - but it is long on compassion.
Like any parent would confirm, however, this is a round-the-clock responsibility. Wild goes to great lengths to show the programs Sheldrick and Galdikas must invent to entertain the beasts, who behave in an age-appropriate manner despite their sizes and animal instincts. Some of the funniest moments in Wild involve orangutans eating soap as they attempt to bath or fleet-footed young elephants playing soccer with Sheldrick's staff.
Just look out for the ball as it flies off the screen and lands in your lap. You will duck, because the 3D utilized by Lickley is the finest I've seen on screen. Perhaps it's the size of the IMAX screen, or the technical proficiency of Lickley's director of photography. But there are several moments in Wild where you'll be convinced you can dunk your hand into an elephant's drinking trough or stroke an orangutan's hairy back as they seemingly sit inches away from us. Kids will squeal with delight.
Parents, on the other hand, may be called to action. Referencing that hope for a storybook ending, Freeman reiterates that once an animal is re-introduced into the wild (in reality, a national park), it is up to us to ensure that these designated territories remain open and free for the animals' benefit. Born to Be Wild made such a compelling case, I was prepared to drop money into a collection basket as the house lights went up, if only one were readily available.
