The documentary “Earth,” directed by Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield and distributed by Disneynature, is marked by spectacular photography and beautiful images of our planet’s grandeur with a cautionary warning about the effects of global warming. Three storylines follow months in the lives of polar bears, elephants, and humpback whales. Mama polar bear emerges from hibernation with her two cubs while papa bear’s survival is challenged by prematurely melting arctic ice that limits his ability to find food. The elephant herd is migrating toward the floodwaters of the Okavango Delta while being stalked by lions and threatened by dehydration. And the two humpbacks, mother and baby, make the three thousand-mile trek from the tropical birthing waters to the feeding grounds of Antarctica. Two scenes not to be missed are the demoiselle cranes crossing the Himalayas and a great white shark fully suspended in mid-air grabbing a seal.
The film’s structure is fairly loose as the directors attempt to include as much eye-popping footage as possible. And as much as I like James Earl Jones’ voice, it doesn’t fit as narrator for this film. It’s too heavy and somber, especially for the lighter moments like when baboons find themselves knee-deep in water and baby ducks go for their first flying lesson. Nonetheless, it’s easy to get lost in nature’s majesty with time-lapse photography and aerial shots providing the most breathtaking special effects. The one thing that “Earth” doesn’t do is juxtapose the cruel alongside the beautiful. Any potentially upsetting scenes of animal-on-animal violence have been carefully trimmed. The stalk, the chase, and the initial pounce are shown, but nothing more. It’s as if the recognition that carnivores dine on other animals might be too distressing for young children to understand. But wild animals are not cuddly stuffed toys and even young children can learn to have respect for wild animals. “Earth,” which deserves to be seen by everyone, will whet your appetite for “Oceans,” due out on Earth Day, 2010. 4/23/09
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This was an excellent "Nature" film in the Disney genre that has captured our imaginations for decades. No studio does it better or even as well and this film will delight the old and the young alike. Go see it and bring the kids and the grandkids, it is destined to be a classic and be put into the Disney vault for future generations to enjoy.
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