Tommy and the Wildcat (1998) User Reviews

A nature movie about friendship between a boy and a lynx.

[Basilius · 6/10 · 27 September 1999]

The movie tells about friendship between a boy and a lynx. An animal park cannot keep a lynx any more, and the boy helps it to get to freedom.

Some hunters hate the lynx because it is after the game and also domestic animals. The story is rather sad and touching, acting partly okay, partly mediocre, but the winter scenery is very beautiful and worth to see.

The movie is best suited for families and children, but not too young watchers.

The most beautiful nature film I have ever seen

[Ariel-28 · 10/10 · 26 December 1999]

The film is quite incredible. It's really touching to see Tomi following his mother and calling her at the very beginning.

The attitudes of the villagers get me think what I really have read about the hatred towards the beasts of prey. I myself want to defend them just like Tomi, his father and Helena, but I was quite disappointed that Leevi only kills his preys and doesn't eat them. However, he really isn't just a sweet little cat but a real predator, and that's why I especially like him.

The poacher is quite an unpleasant character, but it's good that Tomi's uncle changes his attitudes and behavior after the boy has heard the truth about him. And even Haapala is OK at the very end.

The nature shown in the film is especially beautiful, and I am also content with the music. However, the best in the film was no doubt the friendship between Tomi and Leevi.

I have also seen the document of how the film had been done. All of the actors, especially Konsta Hietanen and Väinö were really superb, but I must say that all the lynxes were far too tame - in any case, they ARE beasts of prey, and that's what they should be.

Film about a boy and a lynx (wild cat)

[c-vanhall · 10/10 · 24 December 2003]

Beautiful film seen on the day before Christmas. Puts you in a perfect Christmas mood without the bells. Great to see such a nice film, which I would have liked to show my little niece, to see how things go in nature...including the mingling of human nature. And it seems to me unique to see the lynx in a movie ! Surprisingly to watch, as this wild cat is normally extremely shy for humans, and almost extinct in most of the forests in Europe. Although it is actually spotted again in some larger natural areas of western Europe (Germany)!

So this was bound to happen in Lapland, Finland. Nice filming, good character-acting, and a story where the wild cat is not only a purring, lovable cat, but also a wild animal, that even can kill other animal 'for fun', as one of the lynx-hunters expressed it. Fortunately perseverence of the boy, Tom, and the love for the wild cat, Leevi, wins it in the end.

It's a good theme, good to watch for children, and...grown ups, as nature is still something mankind doesn't seem to be able to live with so easily. All around an excellent film to watch for anyone, who like animals, nature, adventure and ...sheer beauty !

Coen van Hall, The Netherlands

One of the best Finnish films in recent years.

[juhahintikka · 8/10 · 10 April 2001]

I just finished watching the film for a second time and still think it was quite a good one. The plot is reasonably good, the acting is average or better, the scenery is splendid. The presence of a lynx is a big bonus. Nature films are not too common.

Beautiful nature film from Finland

[tim_buk2 · 9/10 · 20 January 2008]

We have just finished watching this movie on TV for the second time. I asked my two young daughters to write up what they thought of it. So here is their first IMDb user comment!

Daughter aged 7: I liked the music a lot because it always was exciting and I liked the actor for Tommy and also the lynx. I didn't like when the trap was caught on the lynxes leg and blood was coming out. And I thought Tommy was really nice to the man who fell off a cliff.

Daughter aged 9: I liked: (a) The nice back ground, where it was filmed.

(b) How Tommy let Leevi free from the truck, but then realized that he didn't know how to hunt, so he got him back.

(c) How Oala got into the story.

I didn't like so much:

When Hapalla pushed Tommy away, to shoot Leevi, the lynx. But then Leevi jumped on Hapalla, and sent him falling down a very steep, and icy hill. It was not a nice sight for me, as a kid, seeing Hapalla's face covered in blood, when he fell down. I thought Tommy was very nice to Hapalla, when he fell down, even when he did such bad things to Tommy.