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The Call of the Wild poster

Is The Call of the Wild OK for Kids?

AdventureFamilyDrama
8+
PG⭐ 6.7 / 102020 · 1h 40m
Chris Sanders

Where to Watch

United States

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Streaming data by JustWatch

What's In It

Based on the actual screenplay
🗡️Violence
Moderate▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
0
Cartoon / Comedic
5
Action & Peril
2
Injuries & Death Shown
0
Graphic & Disturbing
  • Buck fights a gray dog, and both animals are injured in the scuffle
  • Buck attacks a man who tries to shoot him, and the man threatens to kill the dog
  • Buck is forced to pull a 1000-pound sled, straining his body to the point of near-collapse in front of a betting crowd
  • A wolf pack approaches the camp at night and Buck chases them off to protect the group
  • John Blake is discovered nearly dead from exposure and starvation in the wilderness
  • Villains Smith and Kalie hold Thornton and Blake at gunpoint and threaten them with violence
  • Thornton is struck on the head with a gun, resulting in a severe skull crack that is described as serious
  • Overall tone is adventure-peril rather than graphic violence, but the head injury and gunpoint scene are intense for younger viewers
💬Language
Mild▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
4
Mild Words
(damn, hell)
5
Moderate
(ass, b**ch)
0
Strong
(sh*t)
0
Extreme
(f**k)
  • Mild language includes 'weasels' (1), 'bastilles' (1), 'da**' (1), and 'beast' (1)
  • Moderate language includes 'hell' (3) and 'fool' (2)
  • No f-words, s-words, or slurs of any kind are used
  • Overall language is very mild and infrequent, mostly period-appropriate insults
👻Scary Scenes
Mild▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
3
Mildly Tense
1
Startling Moments
0
Genuinely Scary
0
Deeply Disturbing
  • Buck discovers wolves circling the camp at night, a tense but non-graphic scene
  • Claire is shown lost and worried in the wilderness after her husband goes missing for two days
  • Smith and Kalie hold the group at gunpoint and destroy their canoe, creating a tense standoff
  • Buck suddenly runs off toward the wolves multiple times, which may startle viewers unexpectedly
  • All tense scenes are resolved without lasting harm to main characters shown on screen
💕Romance
Moderate▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
1
Crushes & Holding Hands
1
Kissing & Dating
2
Suggestive
0
Sexual Content
  • Thornton develops a growing crush on Claire Blake during their journey together
  • Thornton and Claire share a dance and an embrace by the fire in a warm, emotional scene
  • Claire tells Thornton she loves him in an emotionally intimate but non-physical moment
  • Thornton and Claire have an extended embrace during a goodbye scene
  • No sexual content is shown; romance is limited to emotional connection and brief physical affection
🍺Substances
Moderate▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
1
Mentioned in Passing
1
Shown Casually
2
Featured Prominently
0
Glorified or Abused
  • Multiple bar scenes feature drinking of bourbon, schnapps, and whiskey
  • Characters mention getting drunk to celebrate after finding the gold mine
  • Shorty is referenced smoking a pipe, used somewhat metaphorically alongside 'hope'
  • Gold mining and the pursuit of wealth are central plot motivations throughout the film
  • Substance use is shown casually as part of frontier life, not glorified or condemned
⚡Stimulation
Moderate▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
0
Gently Engaging
2
Exciting
2
Intense
0
Overwhelming
  • The 1000-pound sled pull is an intense, high-stakes sequence with a crowd betting on the outcome
  • The discovery of the gold mine is an exciting, visually rewarding sequence
  • The gunpoint confrontation with Smith and Kalie is a tense, high-pressure scene
  • Wilderness survival scenes involving dangerous rapids and wolves add exciting but demanding sensory pacing
  • Sensory-sensitive children may find the sled pull and confrontation scenes overwhelming
The Call of the Wild — Heads Up for Parents

Despite being a family adventure film, parents should be aware of the gunpoint confrontation where Smith and Kalie threaten Thornton and Blake, and the moment Thornton is struck on the head with a gun causing a severe skull crack — this is more intense than the film's marketing suggests.

About The Call of the Wild

Based on Jack London's classic novel, this is an adventure story about Buck, a domesticated dog who is stolen and taken to the Yukon during the Gold Rush, where he learns to survive and eventually bonds with a grieving loner named Thornton. The tone is largely family-friendly adventure with themes of loyalty, nature, and self-discovery, though it includes moments of peril, gunplay, and emotional intensity.

👨‍👧
Best watched together
Younger children (under 8) may need a parent present during the wolf pack scenes, the gunpoint confrontation with Smith and Kalie, and Thornton's head injury to help contextualize the peril and reassure them during tense moments.

Family Takeaways from The Call of the Wild

What it gets right

  • ✓The film shows Thornton training Buck with patience rather than force, modeling positive animal care
  • ✓Claire's decision to leave with her husband rather than stay with Thornton reinforces the value of commitment and family loyalty

The Call of the Wild Cultural & Values Guide

Cultural & Values Guide

Values & Themes
●Traditional family values

Claire ultimately chooses to leave with her husband John Blake rather than stay with Thornton, reinforcing commitment to family and marriage over romantic attraction.

Cast:Harrison FordDan StevensColin WoodellKaren GillanOmar Sy

Is The Call of the Wild Appropriate for Your Child's Age?

✗Age 5: Not recommended for 5-year-olds
✓Age 8: Generally appropriate for 8-year-olds
✓Age 10: Generally appropriate for 10-year-olds
✓Age 12: Generally appropriate for 12-year-olds
✓Age 13: Generally appropriate for 13-year-olds
✓Age 15: Generally appropriate for 15-year-olds
✓Age 17: Generally appropriate for 17-year-olds

Individual children may vary — use your judgment.

Parents also ask about The Call of the Wild

  • Is The Call of the Wild appropriate for a 8-year-old?
  • Does The Call of the Wild have violence?
  • Is The Call of the Wild OK for kids?
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