To Walk With Lions

Rating:
Summary: An inspiring movie
Review: For those of you who loved and are fans of the movie BORN FREE, this is literally part 3 of that movie after LIVING FREE. I found this movie to be much better and more moving than Living Free.

To Walk with Lions, showcases the true story of George Adamson and his new successor in Africa-Gareth Patterson (who is named Tony Fitzjohn in the movie) on how they fate brought them together and where it took both of them. The various struggles that George and Tony have to put up with the poachers-bandits-Kenyan Govt-village men are shown here.

How Joy and George are murdered too are shown as well as how the real life Gareth Patterson became acquainted with Lions even though he was almost killed by one.

This movie is a must see for all animal lovers particularly those of lions and especially those fans of BORN FREE.

Other recommended animal related movies are Born Free, ROAR, Two brothers, The Ghost & The Darkness, Running Wild, Maneaters of India (Natl Geog docum), Living with Tigers (Discovery Channel documentary).

Rating:
Summary: Richard Harris was spectacular!
Review: I have always been a huge fan of the Adamsons and followed their lives in great detail. I always wished I could have met George Adamson before his death and I remember the shock I felt when I learned how he died. Richard Harris does a spectacular job portraying Mr. Adamson. He's got the charactor down pat. I also enjoyed the very brief appearance of the woman who played Joy Adamson. I wish they had more of her in this movie. I thought, however, that the storyline needed a lot of work. I wasn't impressed with how the Tony Fitzjohn charactor was portrayed. I appreciated that it was written from a point of view of a person who was not obsessed with the Adamsons like I was, but making Fitzjohn the focal point of the movie drew away from the real story. I also thought parts of the ending, which were based on true life, but changed to make more dramatic, was a little over dramatized. But, overall, I really enjoyed this movie and would recommend it to anyone, Adamson fan or not.

Rating:
Summary: A good script
Review: I have just finished watching this video, and I feel that I have not wasted my time. This film is based on the true story of George Adamson. Adamson became famous as the man who set the lioness Elsa free in a film called 'Born Free'.

In 'To Walk with Lions' Adamson has become an old and eccentric man who lives to free lions from zoos and circuses. He takes in an English milkman, Tony Fitzroy, who needs a job. When the new aide realizes that he is going to replace a workman who was killed by a lion the week before, he wants to leave straight away: He thinks that Adamson is crazy, but after some time Tony decides to stay after all.

This is a beatiful film: The landscape is fantastic and the script is filled with good comments, laughter and exitement. After a short while you start to like George and Tony, even though neither of them can be called 'average guys'. This is a film that I want to recommend. It is great for animal lovers and everybody else who likes to enjoy a good story.

Rating:
Summary: Good movie well watching
Review: I was checking out the new releases down at local Video shop when I saw a copy of "To Walk with Lions" 'Yes,This is the movie for me!' I was born in Kenya but left like many others in 1963, so movies centred around Kenya still draw my heart strings. I guess I thought I knew about George Adamson and the Lions he loved. I have got original copies of Born Free and Living Free. I truly only found out about his death last year in a travel magazine advertising a Kenyan Hotel out there somewhere, so I had some idea about what this movie would be about but no preconceived ideas. I just hoped this movie about Kenya was actually filmed in Kenya as many movies aren't. So I sat down on a Friday night with my 12 year old son David to watch it. This movie was great. I enjoyed it a lot. Not a box office smash but a well acted and well portrayed real life story with passion and sensitivity. It's a true story about people who committed their lives to what they believed in. Richard Harris was a very convincing George Adamson 'Baba wa simba' and the story from where I sat was an extremely convincing portrayal of his dedication and passion for firstly, the lost Lions of northan Kenya and secondly, wildlife conservation in East Africa in general. You felt like you got to know the man. He had grit and was prepared to die to protect animals. A long term commitment, way past the fame of Born Free days. Joy did make an appearance in the movie just to keep it true to character. A surprise for me was to learn about Tony Fitzjohn played very well by John Michie. Through this movie his character was moulded from disinterested drifter to caring conservationist aided by the other stars of the movie and the Lions. He managed to eventually see the true worth of protecting a priceless resource, Africa's wildlife and take up where George left off. The lions I must say were awesome as they can only ever be themselves. The film maker Carl Schultz also captures the shifting loyalty of nomadic Africans pastoralists and how senseless the slaughter of wild animals by poachers is when seen a face value. This movie for me was also a fine example of moviemakers and actors getting in behind real conservation efforts. Bringing the world attention to people dedicated to making a difference where it counts who would otherwise go unnoticed. Along the lines of 'I dreamed of Africa' with Kim Bassinger portrayal of Kuki Gallmans story of lifelong dedication and sacrifice to wildlife conservation in Kenya. The last bonus for me was a very clear statement that yes it was filmed in Kenya at Kora, which you can't beat for authenticity. Afterwards I found my copy of Born Free from the book shelf and spent time with my son David looking at pictures of a younger George Adamson and of course Elsa. We wondered what our cat would be like if he was bigger?

Rating:
Summary: So so
Review: This movie suffers from what so many biopics do: it's a series of incidents and not really a story with a well-structured plot. And it should have focussed more on George Adamson. But the acting is good and the animal shots great. Some of the dialogue is great. I know Tony Fitzjohn, and the actor who played him was well cast and looks and sounds a lot like him. And the Fitzjohn character is true to what Tony Fitzjohn is like...and I mean that in EVERY SENSE of what his actions are in this movie (I'm trying to be polite!). But the story was so much about Fitzjohn--he even narrates it--and Fitzjohn is really such a minor character among conservationists in Kenya, I don't know why they zeroed in on him. The movie was a flop, so it obviously wasn't a wise choice. I mean, why not a film on Richard Leakey, just to mention one name? Or one that focused more on George Adamson and less on Fitzjohn? Well, Tony, you didn't become a household name with this film, as I'm sure you were expecting and hoping. But good luck with Mkomazi.

Rating:
Summary: Full of inaccuracies.
Review: This movie was full of inaccuracies. Tony Fitzjohn did not take the lion cubs and raise them. This kind deed was done by Gareth Patterson who truly respected George Adamson. Gareth Patterson wrote about this in his books titled The Lions Legacy and Last of the Free. This movie should have focused on George Adamson and it should have been more accurate and realistic.

If you want to see a movie with the real George Adamson, as himself, then make sure to view the entertaining and touching movie titled Christian the Lion! He is also featured in the movie titled An Elephant Called Slowly. Both of these movies are available on video. Why watch a fake when you can watch the real thing!

Rating:
Summary: Lions touch all mankind
Review: This movie was true and very entertaining, with romance, action, heart and soul. It had a message for everyone, no matter what country you live in. We found hope from the things they are doing today in Tanzania... No movie has touched my husband and I as much as this one. If you can only see one movie this year, make it To Walk with Lions.

Rating:
Summary: Lions touch all mankind
Review: This movie was true and very entertaining, with romance, action, heart and soul. It had a message for everyone, no matter what country you live in. We found hope from the things they are doing today in Tanzania... No movie has touched my husband and I as much as this one. If you can only see one movie this year, make it To Walk with Lions.