She is a scientist fighting to save the jungle. He’s a PTSD-stricken soldier on the brink of suicide. Then, deep in the Peruvian Amazon, an orphaned ocelot enters their lives—and becomes their last chance at saving something.
“Wildcat” reminds me of “My Octopus Teacher” so I added it to this piece I wrote: “8 Documentaries Like “My Octopus Teacher” (it’s ranked #4).
Why? Cuz I’m a doc nerd and love to keep lists!
Trailer for “Wildcat”
Watch “Wildcat”
You can watch “Wildcat” on Amazon Prime (it’s an Amazon Prime Original) at https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/amzn1.dv.gti.42bf76b4-b1c7-430d-86dd-3bcedda15f0c (which includes watching it for free (with ads) on Freevee).
Ratings:
- My Rating: 91/100
- IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 89/100 (Users); 92/100 (Critics)
Release Date: December 21, 2022
My Review of “Wildcat”
The Setup
“Wildcat” is a 106-minute documentary directed by Trevor Frost and Melissa Lesh (who both also put out the doc short “Person of the Forest”).
Frost is a photojournalist whose work has been in National Geographic and The Washington Post. Lesh is a filmmaker focused on nature and conservation (she directed the awesome doc “The Story of Plastic”).
This is not your usual nature documentary. It is beautiful but has a heartbreaking personal story to it.
The film follows Harry Turner, a British veteran struggling with PTSD. He travels to the Amazon rainforest to escape his past.
There, he meets Samantha Zwicker, a scientist running a wildlife rescue. Harry is given a special task—raising an orphaned baby ocelot and preparing it for life in the wild.
What starts as an escape turns into something much bigger—a story of love, purpose, and survival.
Oh, and if you love documentaries on the Amazon, please, please, please do watch “Big River Man” (I rank it 98 out 100!) — he attempts to swim the entire Amazon River whiled drinking 2 bottles of wine a day!
You Can’t Make This Sh*t Up
- Samantha’s Dad’s Drinking Problem – Samantha says her father, Cole, was an alcoholic who drank 27 shots every night.
- An Emotional Goodbye – About an hour in, Harry’s family visits him in the Amazon. It’s one of the most emotionally intense scenes in a doc I’ve seen — I was bawling my eyes out.
You Can’t Make This Sh*t Up
- Samantha’s Dad’s Drinking Problem – Samantha says her father, Cole, was an alcoholic who drank 27 shots every night.
- An Emotional Goodbye – About an hour in, Harry’s family visits him in the Amazon. When they leave, it is heartbreaking. I was bawling my eyes out.
More Highlights from the Doc
- Half of the Footage Was Shot by Harry and Samantha – This makes the film feel personal, like reading someone’s diary.
- Training an Ocelot for the Wild – Harry teaches Keanu to hunt, avoid danger, and survive without humans (Keanu is reluctant at first)
- Personal Struggles and Growth: Throughout the documentary, both Harry and Samantha confront their past traumas. Harry battles episodes of depression and self-harm, while Samantha reflects on her own family issues. Their work with Keanu shows the therapeutic power of nature and purpose.
- Inspired by Other Wildlife Docs – The filmmakers were influenced by “Virunga,” “Grizzly Man” (which I rank 98/100!) and “Jane”.
Wrap Up
“Wildcat” is more than a wildlife film. It’s about mental health, love, and second chances. It’s stunning but also painful to watch. If you want a real, emotional journey, this doc is for you.
Thanks for reading!
Rob Kelly, Chief Maniac, Daily Doc