A Safari Romance

Yet again Hallmark uses a foreign film location in an attempt to overcome a weak storyline. Andrew Walker and Brittnay Bristow are solid and have a great track record in past Hallmark movies. As actors, it is simply impossible to overcome a bad storyline or script. The accountabity for these issues are the of Hallmark Media's Executive Offices. In the last two years approximately 60% of their movie production has not been as good as the old Hallmark standards.

Sometimes doing things different does not mean they are better. Hallmark is now in the business of making Lifetime Movie Network gravity movies. There are already several networks that do that. Since Hallmark has left the family values / rom-com segment, they will be replaced by another network and become 'homeless'.

IN A NUTSHELL: Megan Henry, a down-to-earth wildlife researcher in Africa, is forced to team up with a theme-park designer, Tim Ericson who wants to create an over-the-top safari attraction.

The film was directed by Leif Bristow, and written by his wife, Agnes Bristow. Their daughter, Brittany Bristow, is the leading lady in the movie! Her parents should be so proud of her; she's a natural. Congratulations to the family!

THINGS I LIKED:

The featured couple look great together and are played by Brittany Bristow and Andrew W. Walker. Calm down ladies...he's already married with a child.

We get to see a lot of beautiful animals in their natural habitat, especially the rare white lion.

We also get to experience South Africa and its culture, music, clothing, food, and life. In addition to the Game Reserve, we get to go to an African elementary school and a local market. It all looks magical.

The movie was filmed at Mabula Game Lodge at Rooiberg Road Rhinosterhoek Spruit in Mabula Private Game Reserve in the Limpopo Province. I'd love to go there someday! Doing an African Safari has been on my Bucket List for a long time!

The native handshake was fun.

Simone Pretorius makes a great "villain." It's refreshing to see a romance where the couple does NOT jump into bed immediately. This love story is clean and sweet.

It's also really nice to see an intelligent woman who is willing to work hard on her goals and not instantly give up her dreams just to be with a guy. Women who do that are often resentful in the end.

We get two romances, not just one.

A lot of life's challenges have to do with timing. While it's not super dramatic, that's the hero's journey in this story. In that regard, it's pretty realistic.

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE: Some people may not like how sugary-sweet everyone is. Wouldn't this be a better world if everyone was kind like this?

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Kids will be bored by the romance, but they'll enjoy seeing the animals.

No profanity Alcohol is consumed several times (but no one gets drunk)

Tim is a theme park designer who is working on a immersive experience based on the wild life, so while on research on a safari, he is paired with park ranger Megan who is working on her PhD in animal behavior.

I really liked it. I don't know if it's because I haven't seen a Hallmark movie in a while, or the theme, or the fact that I really like these two actors. Both in this project and others. I also enjoyed their chemistry in this one. They had a lot of scenes together and I love that we get to see their relationship develop.

I had no problems with the plot. I just thought that the Amy character was unbearable and unnecessary for the storyline. The characters not being able to be together due to the distance was enough drama.

7/10 would recommend.

A beautiful setting for a Hallmark movie, South Africa. You can't judge a hallmark movie the same way as a Hollywood movie. They are romantic movies with happy endings, not hoping for an Oscar. Andrew Walker is his handsome, fit, cute self. He spends a lot of screen time with his leading lady and while they are adorable together she seems a little uncomfortable, there is chemistry but not as much as usual. He's a guy from the city making a virtual experience for a theme park and she's a park ranger working for her PHD in "animal behavior". Both enjoy photography. There's a boss lady who took over the company he works for that comes to cause trouble but she's not successful. The scenery, animals and costumes are gorgeous. I almost felt like I was there. The exchange of the silver bracelets is sweet as they remind me of Clint Eastwood's in The Bridges of Madison County(he was a photographer for National Geographic). There's a second romance in the movie also. As always you can count on a happy ending from a Hallmark movie and sometimes that's just what we need on a bad day.

Yes, to an earlier review. I also am confused by the Hallmark listing of the female leads name first in the credits. So very wrong.. I watched this movie for Walker's.name on the project. A fan since "Steel Toes", have never been disappointed.

This is a travelogue, a film showing the beauty to be found in nature and it's marvelous creatures. Humans are of secondary interest.

But... this film left me with a question. Since it showed the beauty of an immersive creation, the question becomes: how much of that was used in the actual filming?

That thought occurred to me- as the credits and location shots rolled. Could you place an actor in a location even though he was actually thousands of miles away? This movie proves this could actually happen. The days of green screen filming has finally evolved. Many new and innovative methods are possible. Makes me wonder.