If you are a Disney live-action film fan, you won't disappoint with it. It comes between the regular Disney films and Disney nature films. It sets in somewhere in the Namibia and takes us with to a great adventure which is more like a documentary film than a film with a story. Actually, there was a small story, mostly on the opening and the end part and the rest of the film was a foot journey like 'The Way Back'. Based on the book of the same name about a girl and a boy who team up with a bushman to cross the Kalahari desert after their family was attacked by the poachers.

I did not know anything about it, so I expected nothing. But I thought of 'The Gods Must be Crazy', since it is not a comedy, I prepared for something new. I really liked the film, but not that much. Spectacular African landscapes, and awesome performances by everyone. I would have loved it if a few more wild animals participated in it, after all African flavour means that's what we all anticipate, especially the children. So from that perspective, it is slightly a disappointment, but not much. Other than that it is a fine family film from a trusted production house.

6.5/10

This was Reese Witherspoon's fourth movie and continued to show this young lady was extremely talented and destined for greatness, which she has duly succeeded in doing.

The film is from the Disney Studios and was up to the usual great Disney standards.

SPOILER BEGINS

The storyline is Nonnie (Witherspoon) lives on an animal reserve on the savanna with her father and mother. The family is fighting the ever increasing murder of elephants and poaching their ivory.

Harry Winslow (Ethan Embry), who is slightly older than Nonnie, is visiting on vacation with his father at the time. The Mom and dad, together with Harry's father and the staff are murdered by poachers and they have to trek across the Kalahari Desert in order to get to safety.

Luckily they have the help of a bushman Xhabbo (Sarel Bok). During the Trek they make use of the skills they already have together with developing many other lifesaving ones.

The rest of the storyline is about catching those responsible for the murders and discovering who the ringleader is.

One thing that surprised me was the extremely unusual violence in this 'Disney' film. The slaughter of elephants and the murder of several people.

I am sure that if Walt Disney was still alive he would never have allowed a film with this violence to be made in his studios. But I supposed this is a sign of the times.

SPOILER ENDS

Even though there is violence in the movie I still feel it has been well made and I would certainly recommend it.

If only more movies were made to this standard. I saw this movie in the theatre when it first came out, and it was one of the first videotapes I bought. The photography is beautiful. The actors, especially Sarel Bok, are great. I liked that Nonnie became the main character in the movie. The combination of the books A Story Like the Wind and A Far Off Place is seamless in this movie treatment. And the translation from book to screen is near perfect. The spirit of the stories is maintained. The children I have watched this movie with have thoroughly enjoyed it, and we have had very interesting discussions on the themes of protecting wildlife, the environment and the qualities necessary to persevere when faced with life's difficulties and choices.