Under the lens takes a deep look at films by focusing in on one or two particular areas of the picture that helped to define it for better or for worse. Spoilers will be included in this review.
Holiday in the Wild: Is a Netflix original picture and part of the streaming networks’ annual Christman offerings. It stars Kristin Davis as a woman jilted by her husband on the eve of embarking on an African safari as a second honeymoon, she then decides to make the trip herself and meets an elephant conservationist played by Rob Lowe. Over the course of her trip, she rediscovers her passion and falls in love with elephants and just maybe their protective conservationist.
Under The Lens: Message and Original Story
Message: Holiday in the Wild is less a Christmas movie and more about the ideals of Christmas, mainly that of selflessness, giving, and fresh starts. Kate (Davis) is someone who does not feel at home in New York, she feels she missed out on what she wanted to do in life. Derek (Lowe) has found what makes him happy, but is sad he has no one to share it with, he is lonely but unsure about taking a chance on love after a tragedy. In the end, this picture is all about rebirth and putting to bed the past to embrace a new future that Christmas embodies.
Original Story: One does not expect much when it comes to Hallmark and Netflix pictures, they all have similar stories, characters, and settings. This is not a criticism as I love a good seasonal picture as much as the next guy. However, Holiday in the Wild, was interesting in that it told a different and original tale, sure we still got the classic girl meets a guy and falls in love, but the setting and motivations were different. Moving the action to Africa and making the story focus on the awakening of the soul vs just love was a twist on the classic narrative. Both characters were forced to face the issues holding them back before they could fall in love with each other.
Highlights
The baby elephants were adorable, and the picture brought some much-needed attention to the plight of African elephants.
Rob Lowe and Kristin Davis clearly enjoyed the roles they played and they had a cute chemistry
The scenery was very pretty and added a widen scope to the picture
Something to think about
Would you upend your life to make a drastic change?
Conclusion
Holiday in the Wild is one of Netflix’s best Christmas pictures, it is emotional, funny and has two leads that play well off each other. It has a good message of redemption, finding one’s passion, and helping others. Its a fresh and original premise and one that definitly puts Netflix as on the map as a competitor to Hallmark, so make some hot chocolate, grab the candy canes and enjoy Holiday in the Wild.