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Alpha
(Columbia Pictures)
By Lucas Allen
Have you ever wanted to know why a dog is known as man’s best friend? The new movie “Alpha” not only gives you a fine adventure, but also a bit of an educational film about the connection between man and wolf.
It’s directed by Albert Hughes, who’s known as one-half of the Hughes Brothers behind “From Hell” and “The Book of Eli.” You may have seen this kind of dog story before, but think of this film as an origin story about boys and their pets.
The story takes place 20,000 years ago in a part of a land that’s now Europe during the Ice Age. As the son of his tribe’s leader Tau (Johannes Haukur Johannesson), teenage Keda (Kodi Smit-McPhee) tries to be like his father, though he doesn’t have the heart to hunt and kill for survival. That drawback is a problem when he and his tribesmen trek through the land looking for food before the coming winter.
During an ambush of a group of bison, he accidentally falls off a side of the cliff and is presumed dead. Miraculously, the young kid survives the fall and has to make the long trek back home despite a leg injury. When he’s attacked by wolves, he manages to injure its leader. Faced with guilt, he heals the wolf back to health and the two of them eventually become pals.
Now with his furry friend he names Alpha by his side, Keda will have to survive the harsh winter weather to find his way back to his family.
The first thing you’ll notice when watching this film is how a mixed bag the overall visuals look. For much of the movie, it’s clear they try to film as much of the realistic scenery as possible. But with a modest budget, the CG they used to enhance the landscapes and add more to the animal population looks shoddy at best. In the opening scene, the bison looks to be straight out of an animated film, while the location seems to be a notch below PS4 game graphics, while the actors looked poorly green screened.
It’s that kind of display of cheap filmmaking that will have a harmful effect on anyone trying to enjoy the movie. But at the heart of the movie is the growing friendship between Keda and Alpha that will surely leave a smile on your face. Seeing those two get along from beginning to end will remind everyone what it’s like to raise a family pet.
There is some genuine suspense during the twosome’s quest to get back home that offers some good thrills no matter if you’ve seen that kind of movie before. Smit-McPhee does a good job as a young man who’s well-developed as a character before becoming a brave hunter.
Johannesson also deserves mention as both as someone in charge and a father mourning for losing his son. Please be aware that the characters speak in an ancient language, which is why there are subtitles shown throughout.
It works for a story set in a different time even though some viewers don’t like reading subtitles during a movie.
For what it is, “Alpha” is fair enough entertainment that has redeeming qualities. If there’s something it has going for, it’ll make anyone appreciate having a pet around the house. So be sure to give your furry friend some love and attention every single day.
THE MOVIE’S RATING: PG-13 (for some intense peril)
THE CRITIC’S RATING: 3 Stars (Out of Four)
