Mia and the White Lion is a visually beautiful, soulful, but incredible empty movie. For some reason, everyone thinks that if you put cute animals in the center of the story, then you can not worry about everything else - neither about a good script, nor about the dynamics of the narrative, nor about interesting characters. And why if we have a white lion cub here causes sighs of tenderness?
That’s how Mia and the White Lion came about. Apart from the white lion, there is nothing else to see. A classic story about the friendship of a man and a wild beast, which one day has to be saved. Yes, nice, yes, beautiful, but still at the end of the film leaves behind nothing, no vivid memories, and emotions dissipate too quickly.
Yes, as always in such projects did not do without the obligatory morality, which, as always, is that for the sake of fun, you can not harm animals. This time, however, the thought is a little deeper and more specific - the message of the picture against the legalized safaris, on which the rich, without risking anything, shoot off the beasts to comfort their miserable ego.
The verdict: 'Mia and the White Lion' is very boring for the most part. Thank you, of course, for the beautiful views, for the graceful animals, but still I came to see a feature film, not a documentary about nature.
To begin with, the film itself is not bad. This film touches on a rather serious topic - the preservation of the animal world and the fight against poachers. This is, of course, a huge plus of the movie. The heroes of this family movie are a teenage girl Mia and a white lion named Charlie. The lion and Mia carried their friendship through the film. We see that Mia is very attached to the animal, and she will never leave him.
But here I have some questions... I watched this movie from the perspective of an adult. I didn’t like Mia’s behavior in the first part of the film. How she argued with her parents, who tried to convince her that Charlie was dangerous. And a lion can be dangerous. It is a wild animal, and at one point it can become unpredictable. I was particularly uncomfortable with the mall scene. Just imagine: you go shopping, and then you meet a girl with a lion. How do you like that? I understand that this is just a movie and that the reality can be exaggerated, but I would not want to be in the shoes of the people who met a real lion at the time. And there was a scene where Mia almost shoots her father to protect Charlie. Well, what is it? Whatever he is, he is your father.
But the pluses in this film are much more than the minuses. First of all, it seems to me that films on such topics are not often made. And this tape was a real find for me. Second, Mia and the White Lion is perfect for family viewing. The kids will love the movie. Parents will be able to understand their child better. In general, such a good film therapy is obtained. Third, the landscapes of the film. The visual design is made qualitatively, as if you were in Africa. Fourth, the ending. Very touching. I even cried. You just have to see it.
We've seen movies about a girl with an elephant, a boy with birds and now a girl with a lion. It’s a good family adventure film, but unlike the first two films, it touches on the very painful issues of animal survival in human society.
For some reason, in recent years, increasingly family films with animals and animals turn out to be absolutely talentless. One of the main reasons, in my subjective opinion, is the refusal to shoot real brothers and sisters of our smaller ones. Fortunately, the French director Gilles de Maitre holds a different view.
Schoolgirl Mia moved with her family from England to South Africa, where her parents began breeding lions. She did not ask for such a life, and therefore she does not like anything here: neither the local climate, nor a new house, nor the neighborhood with the cat family. This continues until she meets a white lion cub named Charlie. It is only thanks to this fluffy lump that she realizes how wonderful it is to live in Africa. Lionfish grows, and quite quickly becomes a formidable predator, able to scare one of his species, and therefore Mia is forbidden to play with him. Thus, parents with their own hands build walls that prevent them from normal communication with their children.
Most of the users of Movie Search will be able to read about this fact, but I think this detail is important. Just imagine, the director felt it was his duty to find a child (and he found Danio De Villiers) who would agree (and his parents would agree) to grow up with a real lion. The girl really grew up side by side with the predatory beast, and the rest of the actors flew only to the set. And this makes me admire this tape.
Unfortunately, the story itself and the characters, including the main character, are horribly banal, and even the PG rating here does not save. The story itself is easy to predict, almost to individual scenes. It seems that the script was written strictly by method. The actors themselves are good, but there is no depth in the originally created images. Parents need to blame Mia, younger brother to support her, and Mia needs Charlie. That's the secret.
Despite all its shortcomings, the film successfully immerses the viewer in a fairy tale or in a modern interpretation of an old legend. No matter how much you are, you feel like a teenager who cares about his pet with all his heart. And if the film managed to evoke such emotions, it definitely succeeded.
French director Gilles de Maitre created this adventure film for three years! The film is based on notes written by his wife during their trip to South Africa to breed lions. Excellent production - here you will not see painted animals and artificially aged actors, because the task of this film was to show the real friendship of a girl with a wild animal. All three years of filming, the entire cast periodically came to Africa to tell this real dramatic story on the screen.
Mia and her parents move from industrial London to a small settlement in South Africa. Here, her father’s work appeared, and no matter how sad the girl was, calling on Skype with former classmates – over time she has to look for entertainment. Parents, seeing her suffering, one day bring a small white lion cub into the house, and if not immediately, they become very close.
This is a very beautiful adventure film, with the attributes of traveling through the deserts and cities of South Africa. Beautiful heroes, and the courage and love transmitted by them from the screen will make many people tired of the bustle of the city think about their priorities.
A film about the mutual love of man and nature. How wise is the legacy handed down by legends. The importance of listening to yourself and the truth. Everyone is the creator of their own legend. For lovers of nature and ancient legends about the unity of man with her, I recommend this picture. The film is quite dynamic, keeps in suspense throughout the film. The stages of human attachment to a living being are very subtly described. From denial to all-consuming love. The writers well described teenage motives of behavior, reaction and rebellion. Along with the main plot, family values and humanity are well shown. I recommend watching this movie with children. Such works can instill in our and their minds an understanding of the importance of all forms of life. Understanding that predators also need protection as much as the most dangerous predator on Earth – humans sometimes need shelter and warmth. It's a very kind, wise, good movie for all ages. The writers did not forget to add humor, so enjoy watching. I wish there was more of such creative work.
Mia and the White Lion is a Franco-German adventure melodrama for the whole family that will appeal to many lovers of stories involving animals. But in this case, this is far from an amusing story about pets, since the plot touches on a very serious topic about the complex relationship between man and a wild beast.
Mia and her family travel from London to South Africa to buy a lion farm. At first, Mia is not satisfied with the move and strongly resists being on the farm, but one day a small white lion cub named Charlie appears in her life, with whom she finally finds peace of mind and the meaning of further existence. Over the years, parents come to understand that an adult lion can turn from a best friend into a bloodthirsty hunter. Learning that his father intends to get rid of the lion, Mia and his friend escape from the farm and across the country goes to the reserve, where Charlie will not threaten anything.
The director of the film Gilles de Maitre is almost unknown to the domestic audience, and for him, in fact, this is the first serious work in a big movie, since before he mainly shot only low-budget films and television series. And, fortunately, the director brilliantly coped with his task, because the film turned out to be interesting, spectacular and dramatic. The authors described in detail the transformation of the character of the main character, her stages of growing up and awareness of her purpose. The viewer, along with the characters, is happy, sad, afraid and worried about the fate of a character. The film tells us not only about the fate of a girl and a lion. The authors delved into family relations, focusing on both the older brother of the main character, suffering from psychological problems, and on parents who had to go through a lot in the name of happiness and well-being of the family. Thanks to such deviations, a clear understanding is drawn that each hero has his own difficult story, and if someone for one reason or another does not understand the interlocutor or does not find a common language, this does not mean that someone is not worthy of sympathy. In fact, this is the eternal problem of fathers and children, when some due to age or their life priorities do not hear others, but at the same time pursue very noble goals.
As for the production, there are no complaints about it. The picture and atmosphere perfectly complement and reveal the general structure of the plot development. The viewer does not experience the feeling of an outside observer, since he is immersed in history with all his thoughts, sincerely empathizing with the fate of the heroes. And, of course, the main characters (the girl and the lion) deserve special gratitude, thanks to which the seemingly simple story turns into a heartbreaking journey called life. Enjoy your visit.
I watched Mia and the White Lion. According to the description, the film was shot for 3 years. And the main characters (especially the girl playing Mia) also grew up during the film. And yes, the lion in the film is real, which is twice as pleasant. But after the last credits, not even the credits, but the facts given at the end, I still can not leave. We humans have destroyed and continue to destroy animals at cosmic speed. So at the end of the film it was said that there were only 20,000 lions left in the wild. Think about those numbers. It's scary. And it gets worse every year. What do we do, kill just for fun? Let's go back to the film, with what dedication the girl tries to save this king of beasts. Brave brave, truly free, even to say desperate girl fights alone against the evil indifference of the world of adults and ruthless, bloodthirsty monsters. The film can be forgiven all roughness (and there are many of them), many not docking. But I left in me a pleasant and at the same time sadness. Thank you for making such films. But it is a pity that many still do not understand the seriousness of such hunting fun.
8 out of 10
A good story can be told in different ways. You can, for example, tell the story of the formation of a young lion and understand all the profound knowledge of adult life ("The Lion King"). Or you can tell the story of amazingly kind people who are willing to give up everything for their love of animals (“We bought a zoo”). Well, or at the end of the day, you can tell the story of a human-animal friendship that changes both and affects the people around you (“Free Willy”). And you can take and famously combine all these plots to achieve the maximum effect of soulfulness and interest for those who can not live without any living creature!
Mia’s parents decide to change their lives and move with their children from London to South Africa to look after the lion farm. The girl does not like this idea at all - after all, her entire teenage life remained in London with friends, school and interests. Suddenly, the little lion cub Charlie imbues the girl with love and her heart melts. Now she knows exactly what her purpose is. When a human cub and a lion cub become inseparable best friends, the girl learns that her Charlie is in serious danger. Spitting on all prohibitions and putting a strong friendship at the forefront of everything, the girl decides at all costs to save her shaggy comrade!
Do you see how clearly images of those films that we have seen on similar subjects immediately emerge from the synopsis? Can a story we've experienced more than once touch our hearts again? I say responsibly, maybe. How can you not break up a little lion cub, who stubbornly reaches for a bottle? Or how can a girl not break up, who in the course of the film melts her heart so much that she decides on a deadly adventure? The idea of the producers was clear and understandable: they knew who this film would be designed for – this is an incredibly large army of parents with children who need to instill love for an animal from childhood and explain that showing love for your neighbor is a great responsibility, but a very good thing.
Immediately, the main trump card of the film or its Achilles heel was supposed to be the lion himself, since the story still revolves around him. Much depended on the quality of the animal’s visualization. And you know, the creators did everything at the highest level. Honestly, I don’t know if it was a live lion or if it was completely drawn on a computer (as in Life of Pi), but Charlie was incredible. I caught myself thinking that at some point my main desire was to grab a lion cub in my arms and caress him with dignity. So nice, gentle and incredibly charming turned out the main character. Of course, much depended on Denmark de Villiers, who played Mia, as she had to act out emotions for herself and for the lion. A very convincing blow was formed by the middle of the film that only soulless robots could not cry at the end.
The wonderful landscapes of South Africa, the amazing white lion, the incredibly charming Mia, a high-quality story that convinces 100% - all this makes the film Mia and the White Lion a must-see for the whole family. Both children and parents will receive an incredible charge of positivity, which in the blink of an eye and very clearly remind everyone that love is the main engine of all the best on the planet. This is an amazing movie that I highly recommend.
Mia is a teenage girl 13-15 years old. She's a strong girl: she suffers in London. But there is money in the world, and it will be hard for her to know what lion breeding farms really are for. Why does the world accept poultry farms or cows being slaughtered? I didn't understand the tragedy of the lion farm. “Lions are living creatures, not slaves on the assembly line.” Mia (played by Dania De Villiers) is an intelligent and independent girl who has become attached to a white lion. Everyone will say, “This is a true friendship based on legend.” I will say: "It is from loneliness that Mia transfers her maternal feelings to the lion."
Parents John (played by Langley Kirkwood) and Alice (played by Melanie Laurent) have an older son Mick, but he is ill. A very interesting bundle is made by the director - Mick's disease and the past of his parents from a lion farm. There is a legend that nature takes revenge on people with cataclysms, but there will be a white lion that will bring peace to everyone. Mia and her brother Mick believe this legend. Director Gilles De Maitre made a film about how people’s fairy tales and epics can be realized by our children in real life, now. Children believe and can materialize our legends overgrown with dust.
Yes, this film can be attributed to family drama. The white lion is a beautiful legend. The white lion, the friendship of a girl and a lion, panic attacks – all this is boring to watch.
The film is meaningless because it says, “Children can be friends with wild animals.” Friendship with animals is a circus, not a movie. The film is simple, so it is not spectacular.
A touching family story about a man's friendship with a lion, as if descended from videos with real similar stories that spread like viral posts on social media. They were friends with people, even crocodiles. But a toothy reptile can hardly affectionately lick you or hug you. But the lion is a different thing.
The schoolgirl Mia, in her opinion, was unlucky - her parents transport her from prosperous London to the African prairies. And all she is not satisfied until the family is a fabulous white lion cub.
In front of the audience unfolds an almost magical story about how a wild animal and an ordinary European girl grow side by side. Lionfish, in infancy affectionate and affectionate, over the years turns into a powerful beautiful beast.
But the bonds of sympathy between predator and man do not weaken. Moreover, with age, Mia develops an understanding that the wild animal is not a domestic kitten at all, and parents want to get rid of the pet.
And then the girl and the lion begin their antisocial in essence, but such a humanly understandable journey - away from the stereotypes of society, into the wild prairies and to the beautiful nature.
The whole quest unfolds against the backdrop of stunning landscapes. The film is almost documentary. By the way, the lion is real, and not as it is recently fashionable - slightly animated.
Will and rebellious protest, freedom and beauty of nature – this is the basis of this family film. A decent option, how to spend time in the cinema and get a great impression. And without slander and slander.
The family moved to Africa from England. Mia goes to a local school and tries to study and live in a new country. It is difficult to understand and accept the people around her. The way of life is very different from her usual. The girl’s father works on a farm for breeding wild animals and suddenly Mia is taken care of a small white lion cub named Charlie, who was left without parents. White lions are quite rare in nature, and the lives of Mia and the white lion will change significantly from now on.
The theme of human-animal friendship, especially if the animal is a real wild beast and not a cute pet, has long been explored by prose writers and filmmakers. Let this seemingly paradoxical union is not such a frequent guest of big screens, but every appearance comes out strong and memorable.
Immediately come to mind life-affirming and realistic "Two Brothers", "Thoughts of Freedom", "Girl and the Fox" or fantasy and harsh "Mowgli" and "Alpha", which recently pleased us in theaters. And let’s not forget the classic – “Free Willy”
These paintings teach you to believe in your dreams and in your own strength, urge you to preserve nature and our smaller brothers, make the right decisions and reduce misunderstandings between adults and children, because most often it only aggravates the situation. All of the above is fully present in Mia and the White Lion.
This is an unusually beautiful film, with correctly placed accents, charming and expressive characters and a charming but still dangerous snow-white lion.
There is an important element of “travel” for the main characters, because the journey always makes its own changes. The person at the beginning of the journey and the person at the end are two different people. Rethinking life, values, understanding what really matters. It's all in the new tape. In addition, there is still a lot of African nature and correct simple capital truths, which nevertheless we all want to remind more often.
Together with Mia and Charlie, we go through a very long, difficult road. At first it may seem that the whole world is against them, but this is not at all true. Sometimes people need to know that friendship is more important than anything. It doesn’t matter what happened between a man and a lion. If two hearts beat in unison, it is a crime to prevent it.
In general, a shelf of good and strong family paintings has arrived! Mia and the White Lion is definitely worth watching. And do not forget to take children with you, because some thoughts and ideas of the authors should be conveyed to different generations.
8 out of 10
Sometimes fate presents us with unexpected surprises, which we initially reject, without fully understanding their value. And this is not about the sudden fall of wealth, but about a real friendship that money can not buy. Unfortunately, it is common for a person to make serious mistakes, but the most important thing is to correct them in time and then a whole fire will light up from a small spark in the heart, illuminating the guiding path of life. Yes, this is exactly what Gilles de Mater’s painting “Mia and the White Lion” gave me.
At the head of this story is a girl from a big city who is used to modern blessings of civilization, walks with friends and just crazy rhythm of life in the metropolis. However, her parents, without asking her daughter’s advice, decided to drastically change the established foundations of life and moved to Africa, where they settled on a farm for breeding lions.
It is quite clear that for Mia this was not just a blow, but a real shock. The girl completely refused to accept the new realities, but who would have thought that her soul and heart could be melted by the cute white lion cub Charlie, whom she initially rejected as an annoying puppy. And when the moment of a painful breakup comes, Mia is not going to give her best friend into someone’s suspicious hands, embarking on a journey that has put an entire region on its ears.
The first thing I want to say about the film is that it is incredibly soulful and shrill. At first it seemed to me that de Mater had a template, predictable story for kids, but in fact Mia and the White Lion is an emotionally poignant piece that evokes honest laughter and tears. Yes, there will be plenty of emotions, you can be sure of that. So prepare handkerchiefs in advance, believe me, they will come in handy.
In addition, a separate paragraph I want to highlight the beauty of shooting, which invariably pleases the eye from the first to the last minute. The authors of the film spent three years on the locations, during which they accumulated a lot of unique material, kindly selected by the editors into a single integral film.
Gilles de Maitre did not skimp on attention to detail during the work, and in order to immerse us as much as possible in what is happening, throughout the filming period he documented not only the natural African beauty, but also the maturation of the lead actor and the lion, who became friends not only in the cinema. This is what I call passionate work for the sake of art itself.
My bottom line: Mia and the White Lion is a beautiful emotional story worth watching. This film makes you think about a lot, it causes a storm of feelings and leaves only positive memories. I recommend it.
Mia and the White Lion is a film that deserves the attention of everyone, at least for the fact that all the shooting was conducted with a real lion for several years, while the animal grew and the main character grew up. If our smaller brothers were given an Oscar, the main character Charlie would definitely get it.
The whole story unfolds in South Africa, begins as a film from a distant childhood about a safari. Beautiful views, majestic hosts of the African continent and excellent musical accompaniment. There are jitters and expectations.
A seemingly unremarkable story of friendship between an animal and a teenager, overcoming all kinds of obstacles, fighting “evil” and his fears, but the lion makes it special. The devotion of the most majestic predator on the planet to a little girl is impressive. And it is also impressive how much work the film crew did creating the entire film, working with wild animals, not just shooting them from the sidelines, but interacting with them as much as possible.
The film touches on a lot of topical problems of modern humanity: the attitude of parents and children, cruelty, aggression, globalization, but the rating is +0, how is this possible? Is that what kids can see? This is a popular question of moms who write their comments on cinema websites after watching a movie. For some reason, everyone noticed the bad attitude of the girl Mia to her parents, but forgot to say about the hard attitude of man to animals, the destruction of fauna for profit and entertainment.
Why doesn’t anyone want to talk about the fact that the film is amazing in that it gives an opportunity to understand how far a person has gone in his frantic pursuit of materials, completely forgetting about everything alive that surrounds him. Killing hard, merciless.
Films of this genre never claim the most prestigious awards in the world, probably the budget and their quality are low, or today it is fashionable to talk more about the infringement of blacks. After all, animals will not raise a revolt and will not deprive film awards and companies of earnings, they cannot destroy large commercial “machines”.
In the end, the director emotionally presses the viewer, there is empathy and awareness. There is also one point that could have made the ending even more emotional, but we, friends, felt sorry for it would have been Hachiko 2.0.
As a result: value your loved ones, fight for your idea with your family, break the system and not be afraid to go against it. There is a balance in our life, and it will come if we put any effort into it! Let’s take care of each other, let’s take care of each other!
9 out of 10