Autumn and the Black Jaguar, directed by Gilles de Maistre and written by Prune de Maistre, feels like a 1990s Disney family movie mixed with Romancing the Stone. It has illogical plot turns, and hit-and-miss acting, but its friendly vibes and beautiful locations go a long way. Plus, any film with a cute baby jaguar gets bonus points.
Lumi Pollack plays Autumn Edison, who grew up in the Amazon, where she often played with a jaguar cub named Hope. As a teen, she resides in America with her dad, Saul (Paul Greene). Autumn sets out to rescue Hope when she learns that the cat could be in danger from animal traffickers. Her biology teacher, Anja (Emily Bett Rickards), tries to stop the girl from leaving the country, only to end up on the plane with her (why didn’t she just call the cops?). Once in the Amazon, the two search for Hope as Autumn rediscovers her childhood home.
Gilles de Maistre directs Autumn and the Black Jaguar with a heavy hand. His message against animal abuse comes to the point where Anja speaks to a community on TV and directly looks at the camera (aka the audience). Instead of letting the central relationships do the work, the film falls back on such preachy methods at times.
“Autumn sets out to rescue Hope when she learns that the cat could be in danger from animal traffickers.”
But Pollack and Rickards have decent chemistry. Autumn becomes annoying on occasion, as she’s the cliched blonde character in a pink shirt and heels who is agoraphobic and frantic. Rickards is fun at times, but at other points, she overdoes it. Unfortunately, Greene gives a stilted performance but does derail the overall impact too much. Airam Camacho is adorable as a younger version of Autumn, going on adventures with her feline friend in the forest.
Autumn and the Black Jaguar works better when it sticks to Autumn and Hope’s relationship. The flashbacks are charming and tug at the heartstrings. There are also lush locations with sweeping shots of canopies and waterfalls that are just stunning. Despite taking place in the Amazon, most of the film was actually shot in Mexico, though that isn’t too noticeable.
Autumn and the Black Jaguar is a sweet film for families, especially young girls. There isn’t a subtle bone in its body, and some of the acting choices are poor, but it’s pleasant enough. Plus, it’s impossible not to smile at a girl playing with a growling little jaguar cub.
"…a sweet film for families..."
