Call of the Wild adapted into 3D film

Jack London's famous novel about sled dogs in the Yukon, Call of the Wild, has been updated, geared toward teens, and made into a 3D film starring Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future) and directed by Richard Gabai (2005's Pop Star with Aaron Carter).

The movie, filmed in Montana, will open Friday in that state, Utah, Minnesota, Iowa, and Romania.

Though advance reviews are few, a screening by Deseret News critic Jeff Vice is particularly negative:

However, the rest of the movie is a real mess.

Director Richard Gabai and screenwriter Leland Douglas misuse the other cast members — who include veterans Wes Studi, Joyce DeWitt and Veronica Cartwright.

And an anti-smoking message — while appreciated — is delivered with such a heavy hand that the film starts to feel like a "Truth About Tobacco" infomercial.

London's naturalistic novel has been filmed at least nine times in the past 101 years, with a 1935 version starring Clark Gable considered the most successful.