Richard Boddington's Against the Wild II: Survive The Serengeti is a wonderful new family film that toughly enjoyed watching. Only recently did I take up watching much of Boddington's work, and I got to say a great many of his movies show great examples of what appeals to families and children.
Like Mr. Boddington's first Against the Wild, this one follows the exploits of two children (brother and sister), who must survive in a land overran by dangerous animals, where they must show survival skills and 'pull together' to make it through. Being a fan of Gary Paulsen when I was younger, I cannot help but draw parallels to 'Hatchet' and 'Brains Winter' when I watch either installment of Against the Wild.
While the first 'Against the Wild' saw the children surviving in the Canadian forest, this one delves into a much richer and colorful landscape – what appears to be South Africa. I felt that the second installment played a little better than did the first, mainly due to (at least in my opinion) better chemistry between the two children, and much better chemistry between the parents.
It's hard to write this review without giving away too many spoilers, but just suffice it to say that it's a great family- friendly movie that I'd encourage anyone with children to watch. It was a great 90 minutes of entertainment. Heck, even if you don't have kids – both installments are still worth the watch.
