Wild America

In the summer of 1967, Marshall Stouffer is chased around Fort Smith, Arkansas by his older brothers Mark and Marty. The brothers love turning Marshall's stunts into footage they show to friends in their garage. Marshall grows tired of being used as a prop.

Feeling exploited, Marshall secretly starts getting even with his brothers through revenge pranks. He cleans their toothbrushes in the toilet and fills their canteens with downstream river water. The pranks deepen the siblings' rivalry and set a mischievous tone for their adventures.

Mark and Marty dream of filming dangerous wildlife across the country after finding a rare camera in a shop. Agnes, their mother, agrees to fund the trip by giving up her Hawaii vacation money, despite Marty Sr.'s protest. Purchasing the camera marks the start of their adventure.

They purchase the camera and begin planning their expedition. Their father remains opposed to the idea. The decision marks a turning point toward the adventure.

They start camping and attempt to film wildlife, missing a shot at catching an eagle. They move on to filming alligators in a swamp. This shift foreshadows the risks they'll face.

During a retrieval, Mark's clothing gets snagged underwater and he begins to drown. Marty and Marshall attempt to save him by steering the boat, but it crashes into a branch, sending Marshall into the water where he faces an angry alligator. Marshall manages to climb back aboard.

Back at their hut, the 'alligator man' Strango tells of a fellow soldier named Phil who talked about a cave full of bears. Strango's anecdote plants the seed of a hidden wilderness treasure. The tale adds a mythic layer to their journey.

The brothers drive northwest to Devil's Playground in Colorado, the last home of the wild American wolf. They film a wolf stalking a doe, then two F-4 Phantoms explode overhead, firing missiles that knock them down. A herd of wild horses then charges past as they recover.

Following an owl resembling Marshall's Leona, the brothers discover a cave. On the wall is an ancient Indian drawing of a cave filled with bear-shaped figures. A Native American woman tells them the cave is near Arapaho Peak in Montana.

During the journey, a strange man saves Marshall after going down a stream and points toward the cave. They also meet a woman whose husband was killed by bears, adding danger to their mission.

Back on the road, the brothers discover their van has been robbed, yet they manage to salvage their film. Mark breaks his leg after a fight with Marty, but they press on to reach the bear cave.

They locate the bear cave and begin filming as the bears sleep. A bat guano lands on a photography lamp, waking the bears, who then approach danger. To escape, the brothers recite a lullaby-like song that calms the bears, and they flee with the camera.

Returning home, Marshall learns his father never flew the plane and the mood drops. Soon after, their father is injured and in the hospital, forcing the family to manage on their own.

On the next day, Marshall flies the plane with Leon's help. His father is visibly impressed by his son's progress and confidence at the controls.

They screen the film at the school gym and receive praise from the crowd, even as DC's rude remark is addressed by the audience. Their father applauds along with everyone else, and Marshall shares a quiet smile with him.