by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
What can be a big problem for the success of a film? An identity crisis. Sure, there are plenty of things that can go wrong making a film, but if it struggles to know what it is, then it will be difficult to get general audiences to spend their hard-earned money to see it. The actors will struggle as they try to wrap their heads around what the film is trying to portray. The director(s) will certainly struggle with balancing what is going on on screen, and what tone to approach the film with. What a shame.
How does Amazon’s latest documentary struggle with this very issue? Wildcat seems obvious. The film is about wildcats being raised by people to release back into the wild. This is an important process, and there are organizations doing great work that deserves the recognition. As it turns out, Wildcat is only loosely about this great work. What is it about? The struggle of a young British ex-soldier who deals with depression, PTSD, and suicidal thoughts. Yeah… far from just raising some cats. Sure, there can be plenty of sad moments that come along with raising baby wildcats (trigger warning: You will be upset at times), but watching a young man dealing with untreated mental health issues is more triggering.
How does Wildcat handle this intense subject matter? In all honesty, this film is problematic. There is a lot of screen time dedicated to watching this young soldier struggling with his mental health, as he is probably crying every other scene. The film continues to highlight his main approach to coping, which is to develop an uncomfortably close relationship to this cat. The whole point of this process is to let the cat go back into the wild at one point. There is a struggle for this young man to do so, and I don’t feel like the film really calls out that unhealthy action. I will admit that their developing relationship is sweet and endearing, but it is soured by the uncomfortable messaging. The film never really resolves this young man’s struggle either, as he even makes future attempts to contact this wild animal. Sure, the experience is quite moving and emotional, but it does feel quite manipulative.
But what about our other human lead? There is at least some growth and meaning behind her journey. The film presents her own backstory centered around an alcoholic and abusive father. She has struggled with unhealthy human connections, and we see that on display again with her dynamic with the young soldier. They have a connection as they work together helping these cats, but things begin to spiral for them. He becomes violent and lashes out on her. She feels compelled to find him help. The film thankfully delivers resolution to this toxic dynamic, and we see her grow as a person.
Does Wildcat do right by the actual wildcats in the film? There is at least enough presented to show the actual process of raising and letting them go (despite the issues with this example). From a film perspective, this example does pack a lot of drama and emotion, which is effectively portrayed on screen. The later moments of the film take a few minutes to put all the focus on this great work and the results they have. What is weird is this moment feels so random and doesn’t fit, because so much of the film is really not about the work (but it doesn’t make you wonder why it isn’t).
Is Wildcat worth your time? This might be one of the most frustrating cinematic experiences of the year. There is plenty of emotion that the film wears on its sleeves, which will certainly make you feel along the way. But the approach feels a tad too manipulative of this struggling young man. Overall, Wildcat has an important story to tell about rescuing these big cats, and maybe the film should have focused more on that. But in the end, there is still an impactful experience to be had.
Score: 6/10
Wildcat is currently playing in limited theaters, and will be streaming on Prime Video on December 30
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