Spoiler alert! This story discusses the ending of “The Call of the Wild.” Dont read it until youve seen the movie, or at least have read the Jack London novel.
Like any dog movie worth a scratch, “The Call of the Wild” has a tear-inducing ending. But in a twist on the norm, the tears arent for the main canine Buck (the pooch played via visual effects by actor Terry Notary).
Like the 1903 Jack London novel on which its based, the sorrow is over the main human, John Thornton (played by Harrison Ford).
In the movie, the long-troubled Thornton dies with Buck propping him up for a final look at a beautiful meadow.
“The film would not have the same emotional power without the death of Thornton, attended by Buck, as part of the conclusion,” says Ford, acknowledging that a good dog-movie cry is never a bad thing. “Im all for it.”
Director Chris Sanders says fans might expect that Buck, who was stolen from his comfortable home to become a Yukon Gold Rush sled dog before finding companionship with Thornton, might eventually make his way home. Or find an emotionally satisfying life with Thornton.
But Thorntons death from a gunshot wound after a surprise attack by villainous Hal (Dan Stevens) disrupts everything. After spending the final moments with Thornton, the devastated dog moves into the wild to live full-time among his adopted wolf family.
“People who dont know the original story may root for Buck to find his way home, tied up neat and clean,” Sanders says. “But thats not how life works. The dog finds a new home. Just like we all have to leave our homes and find a new one somewhere else. Thats why this story endures: Its more real than most. Yet Thornton finds comfort with this dog in his last moments.”
The movie ending veers off from the book, which has Buck finding Thornton brutally killed after an attack from a Yeehat Indian tribe. In the novel, the dog hunts down the tribe and transforms into a “live hurricane of fury.” He lunges for the chiefs jugular vein, “ripping the throat wide open,” and a “fountain of blood” spurts out.
Thats just the start of the revenge killing. It wasnt going to work for this Fox-Disney production.
“Buck goes full John Wick in the book,” Sanders says. “The book takes a very dark turn at that point. We wanted to keep it all family-friendly.”
Both movie and book end with Buck living on to create a legacy with the lupine pack and their offspring. Wolves in the area are seen with “splashes of brown on the head and muzzle, with a rift of white … down the chest,” as London writes.
Onscreen, Buck is last shown with his striking white wolf female companion. Hes seen bounding with young wolves who look much like his St. Bernard-Scotch shepherd mix self.
The final scene between Buck and Thornton “may be sad,” Ford says. “But the film picks itself up after that and ends on a positive note.” Featured Weekly Ad
Who was John’s companion in the movie?
At the beginning of the movie, Buck was a spoiled dog living in a big estate in California, but the following experiences he went through were pretty sad. Short story, he passed from owner to owner, not managing to adapt or trust anyone so much.
Being used as a sled dog in the Arctic, Buck was treated very badly. It was John the one who rescues Buck of being beaten and killed by Hal, thus becoming his new master until the moment he dies.
We can definitely say that it was a moment that we all expected, because these two had a lot in common. Soon enough, John earns Bucks’s trust, and he became very loyal of him.
Throughout the plot, they both save each other several times and Buck finds out what true love really is.
How was John Thornton’s personality like?
John, a man in his fifties, is described as a lonely and sad person, with some drinking issues (based on his son’s death, Tim, several years ago). Despite all the troubles he experienced, he has a kind and brave spirit, he likes adventure and hunting, has a deep connection with nature and is an animal lover.
Throughout the movie, he proved many times that he would do anything to protect the ones he loves.
In the movie, the long-troubled Thornton dies with Buck propping him up for a final look at a beautiful meadow.
“The film would not have the same emotional power without the death of Thornton, attended by Buck, as part of the conclusion,” says Ford, acknowledging that a good dog-movie cry is never a bad thing. “Im all for it.”
Like any dog movie worth a scratch, “The Call of the Wild” has a tear-inducing ending. But in a twist on the norm, the tears arent for the main canine Buck (the pooch played via visual effects by actor Terry Notary).
But Thorntons death from a gunshot wound after a surprise attack by villainous Hal (Dan Stevens) disrupts everything. After spending the final moments with Thornton, the devastated dog moves into the wild to live full-time among his adopted wolf family.
“Buck goes full John Wick in the book,” Sanders says. “The book takes a very dark turn at that point. We wanted to keep it all family-friendly.”