Movie Review: Wild Safari: A South African Adventure

ROUNDUP REVIEW: WILD SAFARI 3D: A SOUTH AFRICAN ADVENTURE

(3 stars)

Riding around wildlife reservations in a Land Rover with South African zoologist and field guide Liesl Eichenberger, searching for the "Big Five" safari animals (Cape buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion and rhino), is fun. At least it seems that way translated through the lenses of 3-D truck-mounted cameras in the first wildlife documentary filmed in three dimensions in this offering by director and CGI thrill-ride pioneer Ben Stassen.

Anyone who has seen a recent 3-D show knows that the process has come a long way from arrows, spears and eels lunging at your nose. This safari, which gives you a mostly back-seat view from Eichenberger's vehicle, lacks any sort of cheesy optical assault - unless you count an elephant sniffing in your general direction. Director Stassen opts to avoid leaping cats out for blood, instead presenting an interesting depth of field in faraway places, populated by the animals we learned to love as children and living in their natural habitats. The dashboard-mounted rifle reminds you that these are wild creatures, and low-hanging branches will make you want to duck. And our guide pausing to snap a few shots with her camera shows that animal enthusiasm isn't just for amateurs.

The safari covers about 3,000 miles in its quest for the Big Five, with much of the search time abbreviated (sometimes via an annoying flashbulb-in-the-face cut technique, and one grand vista looking down from a hilltop that was abandoned much too soon). Even with professional trackers helping our safari, it can sometimes take days to find the elusive stars of the show. During the visits to the game reserves of Addo/Shamwari, Hluhluwe-Umfolozi, Madikwe, Kgalagadi and Kruger National Park, alert viewers will be able to spot other favorite animals too, such as gazelles, zebras and - up close and personal - giraffes.

One caution: If you get motion sickness, beware, as much of the ride is bumpy and there's some climbing and descending that some might find disturbing, even in the comfort of an IMAX theater seat.

- Michael Esposito

No MPAA rating (fine for all ages). Opens Friday at Navy Pier IMAX Theatre, 600 E. Grand Ave. Running time: 0:45.