Alpha: What Worked for Me?

Alpha is a historical drama action film about how one boy survives after an unlikely companionship with a wolf. In doing so, it hopes to tell the story of the first dog. I had low expectations for it, but came out of it quite impressed. There was a lot of thought put into this movie; it was stylistically consistent, had great acting, and they created a fully immersive world.

I was shocked to find the film is not in spoken English. All the actors speak a completely made up language, and they've all bought into it: their actions match what they are apparently saying. They're able to emote through the gibberish of what they say. This made the film quite immersive.

Source: Sony Pictures

The action was very intense and the stakes were high throughout the movie, even though the ending was not a surprise (SPOILER: humans today live with dogs). The ending itself was a bit of a twist, and it made you feel good. I left the theatre feeling like I wanted a dog, and that the world was amazing and everything is great. It's been a while since a film made me feel something like that.

The sets were stunning, whether real or matte painted. The mountains, forests, deserts, and water all seemed like from a different planet, and yet it was also completely familiar, including the extreme weather they faced. This familiarity was abandoned when you explore the relationships humans have with the animals. The animals approach humans curiously or in a predatory way, and  they seem fearless. The first scene, which was a battle scene between a human tribe and bison, was depicted in an epic, fantasy-battle way. It was an interesting choice for the tone, and it worked for me. A great action packed opening like that hooked me right in.

Source: Sony Pictures

Keda, and his wolf Alpha had a great, inspiring friendship and bond in the film. Keda speaks to the wolf as if it can understand him, and it seems to do just that. However, Keda has no idea that it  actually doesn't. This dynamic between them seems almost spiritual; an innocent, ignorant human, reaching out to one not like itself, and forming an unbreakable bond. It was beautiful to watch.

Source: Sony Pictures

There were some cute scenes, too, which came as origin stories to some of the human and dog quirks we have today, such as fetching sticks and responding to whistling. The humour created was subtle, probably because the concept of a joke as we know it today wasn't quite developed in Keda's time.

I liked the score too and I can't wait to give it a listen once it's out. It was all tonally connected to the film, taking all the right cues. I wish I had more to say, but I haven't had the opportunity to listen to it thoroughly. All I remember was the intensity it brought to each scene.

The extreme weather experienced by Keda and how he needed Alpha to survive it all, in the absence of his fellow humans is the main conflict here in the film. I think it's trying to frame how an alliance with nature is what we need right now facing our climate crisis. It's not unheard of that historical fiction uses the past to reflect our current issues. What do you think?

Alpha was an excellent film and I recommend it to all dog fans and fans of historical fiction. It may be based on a flawed premise (there are, after all, no such thing as Alpha wolves), but it's still a good story and worth the watch.