Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

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Screenwise Verdict

This is the kind of movie that gets a 30% from critics and a 90% from audiences because critics watch hundreds of films and parents just want something that won't traumatize their 8-year-old on a Tuesday night. It's competent, wholesome, and utterly forgettable.

The good news: it's genuinely sweet, the animals are cute, and there's real heart in the interspecies friendship angle. Kids who love animals will be engaged, and the Canadian wilderness is legitimately gorgeous.

The reality check: this is slow, earnest, and predictable in that direct-to-streaming-but-we-tried way. The pacing feels like it's from 2005, not 2021. It's the cinematic equivalent of plain oatmeal—nutritious, fine, but nobody's getting excited.

If your kid is 7-10 and obsessed with wolves or lions, throw it on. They'll probably love it. You'll probably scroll your phone. And that's okay! Not every family movie night needs to be a Pixar masterpiece. Sometimes you just need 100 minutes of cute animals and life lessons, and this delivers exactly that—no more, no less.

Age Fit

Best for ages 6-11 who are deep in their animal-loving phase and aren't yet jaded by predictable plots. Older kids will see every beat coming, and younger ones might struggle with the separation anxiety themes.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

78

Heartwarming story of interspecies friendship and a young woman caring for orphaned animals. Models compassion, responsibility, and the bond between humans and nature. The emotional tone is gentle and age-appropriate, though there's grief (grandfather's death) and separation anxiety when the animals are taken away. Pacing is slow and contemplative rather than chaotic.

Imaginative

65

The premise of a wolf and lion becoming brothers is inherently imaginative and appeals to kids' fascination with unlikely animal friendships. Set in the Canadian wilderness, it invites curiosity about nature and wildlife. However, execution appears conventional—this is a straightforward live-action animal adventure without particularly innovative storytelling or world-building that would spark deeper creative thinking.

Safe

82

Common Sense Media rates it for age 8+, suggesting appropriate content for families. The grandfather's death happens off-screen/early, and while animals are separated (emotional but not traumatic), there's no graphic violence, gore, or inappropriate content. Some peril as animals journey across Canada, but within expected bounds for a family animal adventure. The 30% critic score suggests quality issues but not safety concerns.

Enriching

58

Offers lessons about wildlife conservation, animal behavior, and human responsibility toward nature. The bond between different species can spark discussions about empathy and friendship. However, the 30% critic rating and 36 Metacritic score suggest the execution is pedestrian—likely heavy-handed messaging without depth. Educational value is present but surface-level. The 90% audience score indicates it's heartwarming but not necessarily thought-provoking.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Genuinely sweet premise of interspecies friendship that appeals to animal-loving kids
Beautiful Canadian wilderness cinematography gives kids a window into nature
Models compassion and responsibility toward animals without being preachy
The 90% audience score means families generally leave happy, even if critics rolled their eyes
Available on multiple free streaming platforms (Tubi, Kanopy, Hoopla) so you're not paying for mediocrity

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What to Watch For

Grandfather dies early in the story (off-screen, but it's the inciting incident)
Animals are separated from Alma midway through, which can be emotionally tough for sensitive kids
Slow pacing and earnest tone may feel dated to kids raised on Pixar-speed storytelling
That 30% critic score isn't lying—this is paint-by-numbers family fare, not Homeward Bound

Conversation Starters

"Do you think a wolf and a lion could really be friends in real life? What would make that hard?"
"Alma had to make tough choices about keeping wild animals. What would you have done?"
"The animals had to travel across Canada to find each other. What do you think was the hardest part of their journey?"
"Why do you think the forest ranger took the animals away? Was that the right thing to do?"

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The Wolf and the Lion