Prepare to be inspired by a new documentary, Wildcat, directed and produced by Melissa Lesh and Trevor Beck Frost, which leaves viewers in a whirlwind of emotions and can turn your heart from empty to full at the drop of a dime. This is a film that you are not going to want to miss.

Struggling with depression and PTSD as a result from his time spent as a British soldier in Afghanistan, young Harry Turner attempts to escape his world in order to restore peace to his troubled life. That escape lands him deep within the Peruvian Amazon where he teams up with American scientist Samantha Zwicker, and together they work diligently to save injured and orphaned wildlife at Hoja Nueva Rehabilitation Center. The film focuses mainly on the duo's efforts to rehabilitate and "re-wild" orphaned ocelots, and their work seems to put purpose back into their lives. Harry continues with his mental struggles throughout the film and, although his efforts at Hoja Nueva are helping him overcome these challenges, the film highlights for us that these struggles may never truly be defeated.

There is so much to love and appreciate in Wildcat. The cinematography is terrific as it takes us to one of the most remote and biodiverse places on our globe, allowing viewers to get close up views of some incredible species of animals. The story demonstrates that beauty can indeed be woven into the lives of those who have dark days. And since I absolutely love cats and our family has been involved in cat rescue for many decades, I commend Harry and Samantha for their efforts in wildcat conservation and highlighting for us how difficult yet rewarding this line of work can be.

Wildcat is a true masterpiece. There are so many important thoughts to take with you after watching the film, and yet the film's most important message is about hope and courage. Mental illness is a life threatening disease, but, with some hope and a whole lot of courage, someone suffering from this condition can learn to cope with their disorder. There is certainly also the message about the importance of conservation and the willingness to volunteer in order to protect and restore our fragile ecosystems. We need more wildlife warriors and this film just may be a call to action for those conservation minded people. Parents need to be aware of some adult language throughout the film and at times some of the scenes display some very dark moments for Harry.

I give Wildcat 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12-18. Adults will also absolutely love this film. Wildcat releases on December 30, 2022, on Prime Video. By Dominic D., KIDS FIRST!

The film "Wildcat", we see the ultimate evolution of Reality TV in the inner workings of a non-profit that is set up to rescue animals and return them to the wild after being traumatically separated from their parents, and interwoven with the idea that people with anti-social tendencies can be just as difficult to re-enter civilization.

To be fair, the two main characters of "Wildcat", Harry and Samantha, are well-meaning, altruistic people who's only goal is to re-introduce orphaned animals back into their own wild worlds. The fact that they are able to accomplish the goal of re-introduction of the animals does not extend to themselves. They both remain distant and aloof from the rest of the world-- Harry with his PTSD from being a soldier during the war in Afghanistan, and Samantha for her father's alcoholism.

Now the stories of Harry and Samantha are intertwined with the story of taking an orphan Ocelot and training it to be a wild animal--not just one time, but twice, almost as if created by a talented Scriptwriter. The parallel stories of the Ocelots with Harry are so clearly enunciated, they might as well have been a scripted Reality Show.

Every moment in the film is heartfelt beyond the standard of the usual documentary, so it is amazing to think that this is merely spontaneous, as each element of the plot serves to fit a 3-act structure. The storyline is almost a character in itself -- it seems to signal the twists and turns with almost uncanny precision in advance.

But ultimately, what results is a satisfying climax. It seems to allow the protagonists to have a mythic quality --these people are more than mere mortals, they are the embodiment of humanity's idealism.