Le dernier jaguar

Autumn and the Black Jaguar is a passionate tale of friendship that surpasses human boundaries. Told through a combination of flashbacks and present-day scenes, it shows how one girl, on a quest to save a jaguar, changes the mindset of an entire community.

The film follows Autumn (Lumi Pollack), a teen girl who loves animals but has none of her own. Autumn lives in New York City with her single father (Paul Greene), who moved them out of their former home in the forest after the murder of Autumn's mother (Eva Avila) by animal poachers. When Autumn learns that Hope, the jaguar who was her childhood best friend, is in danger, she makes the journey to the Amazon rainforest to save her, trailed by her agoraphobic biology teacher (Emily Bett Rickards) and her hedgehog.

One of the most impressive aspects of Autumn and the Black Jaguar is the character development of multiple people. Almost every character undergoes some kind of transformation. Autumn learns to ask for help when she needs it, and that, while she should trust her instincts, being careful is just as important as activism. Autumn's father learns to let people in instead of pushing them away. Her teacher opens up and is forced to reenter the world and make friends. Even Autumn's uncle Oré (Wayne Charles Baker) learns to take a stand when something is wrong, rather than sitting still. The cinematography is also worth mentioning - Autumn and the Black Jaguar takes place in a rainforest and we see many breathtakingly beautiful shots of the Amazon jungle and its wildlife, rivers and waterfalls. Finally, the chemistry between Lumi Pollack and the real jaguar used for the film blows my mind. Before filming for Autumn and the Black Jaguar began, Pollack spent one year bonding with the jaguar, which is very apparent when they are on-screen together. Their interactions are very natural, and Pollack displays no fear or tension around the jaguar (which is really saying something, considering its size!). I was greatly moved by this touching story of one girl's unwavering bond with an animal and how she uses it to make a change.

Autumn's inspiring journey is a reminder to stand up for those who would do the same for you in your time of need - animals as well as people. Be there for those who have been there for you, because one day you could be depending on them to save you. Autumn and the Black Jaguar also highlights the importance of perseverance. Determination can be the difference between failing and making an impact, even when it seems like the cards are stacked against you.

I give Autumn and the Black Jaguar 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 18, plus adults. The film releases to theaters nationwide on January 17, 2025. By Ruhi K., KIDS FIRST!

This movie is a sweet family movie, that will appeal to the younger girls. There's not that much going on for the parents. The plot is predictable and the moral of the story is kind of force fed to you, but I have to be honest: it was quite fun to watch with our 6 year old daughter.

The movie has almost all the pitfalls of a family movie: overacting adults, too wise kid role, thin plot, deadly situations that are easily survived, and so on. But the main character is well played. The goofy teacher role is not believable (what is she doing there in the jungle?), but it is still filled in quite well. And if you like some jungle shots with waterfalls, you won't be disappointed.

This is supposed to be a family friendly, kid oriented, environment aware film. It is about a young girl who goes to the jungle to save her childhood friend, a black jaguar that she raised as a cub, because the bad poachers and business people are after him. There is also a hapless biology teacher who somehow falls into this and accompanies the girl and, of course, the father.

However, the film only works if you map it in your head to one of those loud, obnoxious, pastel colored, exaggerated kid cartoons. If it were a four year old targeted little film, akin to the Paw Patrol or whatever, it would have been decent. As a live film, though, it's beyond annoying. The plot makes little sense, people behave in random ways and the only good part is the jaguar, who just walks around bored, as if to critique the quality of the film he is starring in.

This is not a one star thing, it's not THAT bad, but as an adult or even a child who has survived infancy with no mental issues, this is not the film for you.

Teenager Autumn Edison (Lumi Pollack) lives in New York City with her father. They left their home in the Amazon jungle and her tribe after the murder of her activist mother 8 years earlier. Her father had been hiding letters from her tribal relatives. Loggers, poachers, and others have been destroying the land all around them. As a child, Autumn had befriended a jaguar which she named Hope. There is only one jaguar left in the area which is being hunted endlessly. Autumn fears that it's Hope and runs away from home in a desperate attempt to save her friend. She is followed by her agoraphobic science teacher Anja (Emily Bett Rickards) who is trying to protect her student despite being completely hapless herself.

This reminds me a lot of those old style Disney movies with unreal characters, unreal situations, and unreal animals. At least, this has its heart in the right place and some of the jungle locations are amazing. As for the unreal characters, I am more put off by the Disney princess attempt. It's ridiculous for them to be floating down the river like a cartoon movie. I actually have no problem with Anja. She's meant for comedic relief. The Amazon situation is a bit simplistic to say the least. The film is nice and enjoyable, but the fakeness overwhelms the better aspects.

This movie is one of the weakest, most poorly scripted movie I have ever seen. Do. Not. Waste. Time. On this. Movie. Unrealistic, plagued by plot holes, this is hard to believe anyone would invest money, efforts, time and energy pursuing such weak story and script. I have seen my share of poor movies but tike is one of the worst. It is really hard to believe this le story from the get-go and to continue invest in the story. How can people write, find the funds and spend all the energy to write, produce and promote this poorly written, acted and delivered movie. This is a real waste of time and do not spent time, energy on this.