Common Sense Media Review
By Renee Schonfeld
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based on child development research. How do we rate?
age 10+
Exciting family adventure with guns, some scares.
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Videos and photos
Based on 1 parent review
What is the story?
IN WHITE FANG 2: THE MYTH OF THE WHITE WOLF, Henry (Scott Bairstow), alone in the Alaskan wilderness, digs for gold, carefully guarding his precious supply of nuggets for a raft trip to a local town where… I’ll collect my fortune. But during a harrowing ride into an unexpectedly raging river, Henry loses his gold and separates it from White Fang, then is rescued by a young Indian woman, Lily (Charmaine Craig), of the Haida tribe. Moses, the Haida chief, is desperate for Henry’s help. His village is in the midst of famine; the caribou whose annual presence they count on for food have not returned to their mountain. In his dream, the old man saw the White Fang leading them to the animals. He appeals to the young man: “Find your wolf companion and let him lead us to the missing caribou to hunt again.” Reluctant at first, but drawn to Lily, sympathetic to the tribe’s plight and desperate to find the White Fang, Henry agrees to help. What Moses, Lily and Henry don’t know, however, is that a vicious team of white settlers will do anything to chase the Haida off the mountain. The adventure intensifies as Henry’s quest threatens to spoil the white man’s evil plan.
Is it good?
Magnificent set design and cinematography and dynamic native wildlife, especially the White Fang, offset the conventional story line of good versus evil, some on-the-nose dialogue and stock villains. And the gently serious portrayal of the Native American presence in the Northwest adds substance to the story. For kids and families who are comfortable with lots of exciting action and suspense, with young people and animals often in danger, and some long fight sequences to the death, it’s a fun, old-fashioned adventure with more than one happy ending.
Talk to your kids about…
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The families in this film can talk about the treatment of the Indian tribe. How does it differ from the portrayal in earlier adventure films you may have seen? What do you think caused this cultural shift?
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Alaska is the location for this movie. The story would have been set differently in any other place. List any specific attributes of this natural environment (terrain, wildlife) that contribute to the adventure.
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In a sequel, can you always expect the story to be a continuation of the original film? If you have seen White Fangwhat, if anything, does it connect to White Fang 2? How does each film stand on its own?
Did we miss something about diversity?
Research shows a connection between children’s healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in the media. That’s why we’ve added a new “Different Representations” section to our reviews, which will be published continuously. You can help us help children