CHEETAH. Directed by Jeff Blyth, written by Erik Tarloff, John Cotter, and Griff Du Rhone; produced by Robert Halmi, Sr. for Walt Dianey. Starring Keith Coogan and Lucy Deakins. Rated G.
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Don't go to see Cheetah expecting great cinema, and you'll probably be modestly entertained by it. Especially if you take some kids along with you. My personal children's movie consultants (my son and daughter) both rated it higher than I do.
The African scenery is nice, and the footage of running cheetahs is quite beautiful. Too bad the humans don't do as good a job with their roles. Coogan and Deakins are appealing enough as siblings who temporarily adopt an abandoned cheetah cub. But their parts aren't written with any subtlety and their dialogue tends to be a lot of Gee Whiz! awkwardness.
The above criticism doesn't apply to Collin Mathupi as Morogo, a Masai boy who shows them around. He's usually clever without being overly cute; a cute trick for a child actor.
A word to the wise for parents of young children, though. Cheetah must have been given an automatic "G" rating just because it came from Disney and is about animals. Although there's not any sex, bad language or overt violence in it, there is talk about poachers killing cute little "kitten's" mothers, etc. A bit strong, perhaps, for the smallest moviegoers.
September 13, 1989