Wildcat

Prepare to be inspired by a new documentary, Wildcat, directed and produced by Melissa Lesh and Trevor Beck Frost, which leaves viewers in a whirlwind of emotions and can turn your heart from empty to full at the drop of a dime. This is a film that you are not going to want to miss.

Struggling with depression and PTSD as a result from his time spent as a British soldier in Afghanistan, young Harry Turner attempts to escape his world in order to restore peace to his troubled life. That escape lands him deep within the Peruvian Amazon where he teams up with American scientist Samantha Zwicker, and together they work diligently to save injured and orphaned wildlife at Hoja Nueva Rehabilitation Center. The film focuses mainly on the duo's efforts to rehabilitate and "re-wild" orphaned ocelots, and their work seems to put purpose back into their lives. Harry continues with his mental struggles throughout the film and, although his efforts at Hoja Nueva are helping him overcome these challenges, the film highlights for us that these struggles may never truly be defeated.

There is so much to love and appreciate in Wildcat. The cinematography is terrific as it takes us to one of the most remote and biodiverse places on our globe, allowing viewers to get close up views of some incredible species of animals. The story demonstrates that beauty can indeed be woven into the lives of those who have dark days. And since I absolutely love cats and our family has been involved in cat rescue for many decades, I commend Harry and Samantha for their efforts in wildcat conservation and highlighting for us how difficult yet rewarding this line of work can be.

Wildcat is a true masterpiece. There are so many important thoughts to take with you after watching the film, and yet the film's most important message is about hope and courage. Mental illness is a life threatening disease, but, with some hope and a whole lot of courage, someone suffering from this condition can learn to cope with their disorder. There is certainly also the message about the importance of conservation and the willingness to volunteer in order to protect and restore our fragile ecosystems. We need more wildlife warriors and this film just may be a call to action for those conservation minded people. Parents need to be aware of some adult language throughout the film and at times some of the scenes display some very dark moments for Harry.

I give Wildcat 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12-18. Adults will also absolutely love this film. Wildcat releases on December 30, 2022, on Prime Video. By Dominic D., KIDS FIRST!

..more than a simple story about a "British soldier" and a wildcat.. This is a reflection of:

• what PEOPLE do to PEOPLE
• what PEOPLE do to ANIMALS
• what WE do to this PLANET

What Harry Turner doesn't know (and probably most of us don't) is that he, Harry, is the REAL HERO with one huge weapon: his heart.

Unfortunately, in a world governed by greed, lies and fake heroes, we fail to recognize the real ones. Here's my proof: Harry can NOT accept to participate to the destruction of this planet (by killing in the name of a 'noble' and 'patriotic' purpose), hence he thinks he's failing the outside expectations (depicted through media and 'action' movies), he feels he doesn't belong 'here'. And he wants to sacrifice himself.. He, the REAL HUMAN BEING.. We can see what people do to people - what WE did to Harry, by encouraging him to be something that he is not, something that most of us are not. He has the guts to admit he can't fulfill his 'duties'. And he's trying, in return to SAVE.. something.. whatever it can be saved of this planet.. I AM PROUD and HAPPY that young people like him and Samantha Zwicker exist!!! I wish I could give them a big hug and tell them how much better the world is because of their existence.

From the bottom of my heart: THANK YOU! To Harry and Sam, and to all the other ones that they represent!

I absolutely love this movie. I can't stop crying and thinking about it.

It really has impacted me. I don't know what I expected when I started watching it, but I did not expect that. Animal lovers and those people who have inner demons need to see this movie. It makes you see that you can put your mind to it, and you can make things happen. You find yourself really getting into the lives of the 2 main people, and just adoring them. I admire their efforts, triumphs, feats, and for getting through the bad times.

It's beautiful, raw, and real; mixing the need to help nature with the need to love yourself. Lastly, I hope this movie opens people's eyes up about the deforestation problem in the Amazon that kills countless beautiful animals, plant and tree species, and things we probably haven't even discovered yet.

Thank you for doing what you do.

I decided to get some work done and I usually run the tv in the background. Saw this and said, cool looks interesting and hit play. Well, I didn't get a damn thing done for work lol. 20 min into it and i was in my recliner fully invested in this. Man, i'm glad i randomly picked this.

To the people complaining that this is not wild cat rescue documentary, well, you're right... It's a young man with mental issues that saves wild cats documentary. And it's pretty damn amazing! It does get kind of rough towards the end, and veers away from the animal rescue. But again for the critics, this kid is just as much the story as the ocelot he rescues.

Oh and to folks making fun of these two being a couple emo millennials, shut it. I'm an old construction guy and they've got my respect. Sam and Harry are tough as nails to live in those conditions for years at a time.

I was absolutely shocked at how much i enjoyed this. Definitely give this a 1 hr and 45 min of your time... you won't regret it!

As "Wildcat" opens, we are in "The Peruvian Amazon, 5 Hours Away From the Nearest Town" and we are introduced to Harry, a British veteran who came back from Afghanistan with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He comes to the jungle and joins Hoja Nuevo, an NGO to prevent deforestation and rescuing animals. Harry is assigned to an orphaned baby wildcat. In a parallel story, Harry gets to know Samantha, the NGO's founder.

Couple of comments: this documentary is co-directed by Melissa Lesh and Trevor Frost, who previously brought us "Person of the Forest". For some reason I was under the impression that this was a nature documentary about wildcats in the Amazon (wildcats are about twice as big as your typical domestic cat). Imagine my surprise, in the best possible way, that this movie is about so much more. Yes, there is cute footage of the wildcats, but in reality this is a look at how Harry deals with his PTSD, how it affects the people around him, AND the wildcats (who is rescuing whom here?). So as it turns out, on this very last day of 2022, I stumble upon one of the best surprises and movies of the year, and sure to make my top 10 of the best of 2022.

"Wildcat" started streaming on Amazon Prime just yesterday (12/30). This documentary is currently rated 92% Certified Fresh and for very good reason. I had read about this film in a recent New York Times article, nd had circled the release date on my calendar. If you are in the mood for a top notch documentary about the mental health struggles of a guy while also getting an amazing look into the day-to-day life of the Peruvian Amazon, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.