Director Jean-Jacques Annaud is definitely an animal lover. Not content with making audiences go "Ahhhh..." while following the adventures of a big, fluffy grizzly in The Bear, the French helmer now returns with this sentimental flick about a pair of tiger cubs abandoned in turn-of-the-century Cambodia.
Kumal and Sangha are the furry brothers of the title, separated from each other after British tomb raider Aidan McRory (Guy Pearce) swoops through their jungle in search of ancient relics to sell back home. Beaten and mistreated by their human captors, the cubs embark on the kind of incredible journey that would make the Mouse House proud.
With his two non-speaking stars taking up most of the screen time, Annaud never manages to put a tiger in the movie's tank. Still, he does score points by delivering an ecologically aware chunk of animal magic that's sure to keep undemanding nippers purring contentedly.
