Cheetah

1989
5.9| 1h23m| G| en| More Info
Released: 18 August 1989 Released
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Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
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Synopsis

An American boy and girl, spending six months in Kenya with their scientist parents adopt a cheetah, only to realize that they must set it loose so that it can learn to hunt and be free. However, when the animal is captured by poachers planning to race it against greyhounds, the two city kids, together with a young African goat herder they befriended, head off into the wild to rescue the cheetah.

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Hellen I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much
BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment
Quiet Muffin This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.
Haven Kaycee It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film
wes-connors Los Angeles teenager Keith Coogan (as Ted Johnson) and pretty sister Lucy Deakins (as Susan) go to live in Kenya for six months. They befriend local goat-herder Colin Mothupi (as Morogo) and adopt a young cheetah after its mother is killed by poachers. Animals in captivity don't learn to hunt properly, and are therefore not easy to return to the wild. When it's time to leave, Mr. Coogan tries to teach "Cheetah" to hunt, but the cat hasn't a clue. Since this seems to be a relatively free-to-roam "outside" cat, you have to wonder if something else is wrong - but, probably, we're just supposed to go with the flow. Also strange is how Coogan and Ms. Deakins share a bedroom - but they seem mature enough to work out any awkwardness. Things get really hairy when poachers target "Cheetah" at the same time Coogan and company are scheduled to leave the continent. The story is far too simple, but the cast is likable and the African locations are very beautiful.****** Cheetah (8/18/89) Jeff Blyth ~ Keith Coogan, Lucy Deakins, Colin Mothupi, Timothy Landfield
eolian This is a very fun movie. My sisters, friends and I grew up watching Cheetah and it is a bit of a cult favorite amongst us. The scenery is beautiful, the characters are fun, the animals are gorgeous and outwitting poachers is awesome! We learned the words to the Swahili song in the movie and we still love that song. We loved the movie so much that my mom promised to take us to Africa in ten years (note to parents: never make promises you don't intend to keep assuming that a six-year old will not remember it in ten years). Of course we never made it to Africa, but when I was 16 we had a Cheetah viewing party in honor of it. The movie was a little cheesier than I remembered it from when I was little, but we still loved it. I have been looking for Cheetah at video stores since then, but it seems to have been forgotten since VHS phased out. I just found out it is now available on DVD, and although I have never bought a movie in my life, I think I may just have to buy this one for my kids (I won't be promising them trips to Africa though)!
justkit I understand that this film was made with a young audience in mind. A very, VERY young audience, I suspect. But that is no excuse for dumbing-down to the point of idiocy, poorly written dialogue that is so "child-friendly" that it actually has all the adults talking like children (dumb ones), and a sledge-hammer approach to the "message".Children are not morons. Even young children. A skilled writer can produce a movie which is entirely palatable to an eight-year-old, yet still explores a variety of themes and ideas in a realistic and un-patronising way. Older characters don't have to behave like children in order to be liked/understood/accepted by children. They should be portrayed truthfully.This film wastes many great opportunities. The scenery is beautiful, and well photographed by a competent crew. In fact, the whole film is competently made. It just suffers from TERRIBLE writing, which has a knock-on effect right down the line. The acting seems poor, but this is mainly due to the atrocious material that the talented cast is forced to work with. The story, though far from original, is worth another telling, and there's certainly nothing wrong with messages about loving and respecting wildlife. But even a very young audience doesn't need to be repeatedly whacked over the head with it.This film can be compared with many others of its kind; all of which are superior, mainly because they are better written, better acted, and don't talk down to their audience. I recommend "Born Free: A New Adventure" and "Dumas" as both being very good examples of how very similar stories can be told in a less patronising way. (And of course the original "Born Free" is essential viewing, though admittedly very dated by modern standards.)The script is the foundation of every film, TV show, or play. I should have LOVED this film. It has all the right ingredients. But sadly it was built on a very shaky foundation. And as a result, it fell down.5/10
DoobieKeebler "Cheetah" is a treasure of a family film. It is very memorable, and enjoyable throughout. The acting is good, as the young cast of stars shine. The scenery is amazing, and the premise is a unique, original idea. I'm surprised this film hasn't received more attention, as it is truly one of the greatest family films ever. Disney does a superb job here with "Cheetah"...people of all ages will enjoy this film.