We Bought a Zoo Film

18-03-2012

I just saw the film; my date stood me up so I went by myself.

To be honest, I found it rather dull. The scene with the snakes was stupid as was the bear escape scene.

They recreated Dartmoor Zoo rather well; obviously the setting is different but it recognisably based on the real zoo. It's nice that it gets a mention at the end although I'm not sure about its world wide influence that they mention before the credits roll. Interestingly they mention that the real zoo will be getting giraffes. It's also nice to see the real Ben as an extra in the final scene.

I hope it results in higher visitor numbers and financial benefit to the zoo but I have to say that I hate it when Hollywood remakes or relocates things to the States. Instead of being a dull but not unlikeable tribute to the American Dream it could have been a dull but not unlikeable British rom-com with Jude Law or someone similar. Of course even if it remained a UK based story we would still have ended up with the compulsory American female lead...

18-03-2012

I didn't think it was dull at all. A very sweet story with very likeable actors. More than anything, I think lots of folks like me were wishing this could have been me -- owning my zoo!

As for relocating the zoo to the States, I think the point was that it was an American film company and they were after the bigger bucks that come from an American audience.

18-03-2012

I agree it was likeable and I would love to own a zoo too, I just found it dull. The teenage angst/romance story bored me and I just kept thinking 'cut to tha animals already!'

I know what the point was of relocating it and understand fully why they did it, I'm not naive but it still annoys me.

18-03-2012

I can certainly understand how, from your side of the Pond, it would annoy you. But it makes sense from a money-making point of view, and making money is that film companies are in business for.

Also, if they didn't attempt to have a "plot" (teenage angst/romance) and stuck only to the zoo story, that would have been great for us ZooChatters, but it wouldn't have attracted nearly as big an audience. When you've got a beautiful lead actress in Scarlett Johannson and a longtime sex symbol in Matt Damon, at least some form of romance is almost mandatory. I personally enjoyed it.

18-03-2012

In the real story he is taking care of his dying wife while trying to rebuild the zoo. That seems like a pretty strong plot to me.

19-03-2012

That change bothered me even more than the location move (which I didn't care for even on this side of the pond). I was upset ahead of time that they seemed to be planning a fictional love interest, which they did, but in order to make it palatable, they had to put his wife's death two years in the past, instead of in the middle of establishing the zoo.

Someone said they recreated the zoo well, but it didn't feel like it to me. I'm lucky enough to have been there before and after the Mees.

Oh - and I thought the snake scene was ridiculous, and someone else told me they loved it. Again, that probably depends on how familiar the audience is with zoos. Wasn't the bear escape something that happened though?

21-03-2012

It's a fictional movie so they changed it to make it more enjoyable for the average audience. It could be worse, I had to watch a college lecture where the proffesor referred to chimps as monkeys.

21-03-2012

But it's not billed as a ficitonal movie - it's said to be based on a true zoo story.

01-04-2012

It was decided to "recreate" the zoo because it would be cheaper than paying for the entire cast and crew to fly over and film here for 2 months. Also the zoo has to many narrow paths etc.

The extra love interest isn't made up. The use of a fellow keeper is though. Don't think Ben or Hayley have ever made a break for freedom, - they are far to bloody lazy - Sovereign - the Jaguar - did make a go at it just after they took over.

We are just waiting for it to come out on Blu-Ray.

08-04-2012

I finally watched this movie yesterday... Hehe, I read about the "snake scene" on this forum before and was expecting something stupid, but I certainly didn´t expect this Ridiculous. The bear scene as well.

But moments, when I was screaming at the screen the most, were the ones with the boy. I mean, what kind of kid wouldn´t want to move to a zoo?!! None that I know

Anyway, watched to whole movie and kind a liked it "against my will". Dropped a tear as well, trying hard not to. Actors did a good job and the little girl was amazing.

Oh, and they didn´t really explain, where he got the money for it, did they? Can´t remember the original story clearly, but didn´t the whole family sell their houses and properties to buy the zoo?

09-04-2012

In the movie and in life, the money came from an inheritance from his father. The fictional addition in the movie was the money in a safety deposit box left by his wife.

09-04-2012

Oh, ok. I remembered the book differently, sorry. The money left by his wife in the movie was only for the additional repairs, wasn´t it? And he got it after he bought the zoo. Anyway, it doesn´t matter, he got it somewhere and bought a zoo, good for him

10-04-2012

The money did not solely come from an inheritance, all but one of the family sold property to make it happen. Benjamin and his family sold their home, his mother sold her's and Duncan may well have sold his home and contributed to the fund.

10-04-2012

Oh yeah, I believe that this is how it was in the book, right?
I remembered it, because after reading that part I phoned my family members, if they would be willing to sell their properties in order to buy me a zoo

18-05-2012

Still haven't seen it yet.. i must!