Definitely one of those movies you have to see to believe. "Roar" doesn't have much to offer in the plot department (aside from the conservationist message), but it has plenty in the way of unparalleled filmmaking negligence. Just look at that tagline:
"No animals were harmed in the making of this film. 70 cast and crew members were."
It's hard to watch what happens onscreen because there are no stuntmen. Tippi Hedren really fractured a leg after being thrown from an elephant; Melanie Griffith really needed medical attention after being mauled; Jan de Bont (that guy who made "Die Hard" and "Speed" look so good) really needed extensive stitches after being scalped(!) by a lion. The reactions from the cast are as real as the blood, and you're constantly shaking your head that they'd use wild animals with no training or supervision. They're apex predators, not pets! The whole thing is incredibly irresponsible, and it lives (warts and all) on film. It's amusing that they try to lighten things up with a playful score and a happy ending. But this is not family film; it's downright chilling.
7/10
"No animals were harmed in the making of this film. 70 cast and crew members were."
It's hard to watch what happens onscreen because there are no stuntmen. Tippi Hedren really fractured a leg after being thrown from an elephant; Melanie Griffith really needed medical attention after being mauled; Jan de Bont (that guy who made "Die Hard" and "Speed" look so good) really needed extensive stitches after being scalped(!) by a lion. The reactions from the cast are as real as the blood, and you're constantly shaking your head that they'd use wild animals with no training or supervision. They're apex predators, not pets! The whole thing is incredibly irresponsible, and it lives (warts and all) on film. It's amusing that they try to lighten things up with a playful score and a happy ending. But this is not family film; it's downright chilling.
7/10