Review(s): DVD March of the Penguins (Full Screen Edition)
-----Captivating and Poignant-----
March of the Penguins is a beautiful film. I loved the spectacular scenery and the story of the birds that have to fight so hard to live. The life of the Emperor Penguin is truly a study in survival.
I wasn't disappointed in the film, but would have liked to have a little more information. Some statistics about the weight and size of the birds would have been helpful. I did look that up and my encyclopedia reported that the Emperor was the largest of the penguins and could be as tall as 48 inches; however, it did not give the weight. I also wondered if a penguin mother who had lost her own baby would adopt an orphaned baby.
Everyone should see this arresting film. Nature is awesome!
Utterly Riveting!!
I am still in awe after watching this 80 minute documentary a couple of months ago!! The cinematography is INCREDIBLE. I'm still wondering how the cinematographers were able to capture all the footage they did of the Emperor Penguins, especially the underwater scenes with the Emperor Penguins searching for food!
If you love both documentaries and animals, then this is a must see film! This is a great family film and can be watched by all age groups! Morgan Freeman narrates and does a fine job of it. The script for the documentary is really informative about how thousands of Emperor Penguins make their annual journey to their breeding grounds in Antarctica. Each winter the single file, 70 mile journey begins, where by the Emperor Penguins travel through extreme climate and frigid temperatures just to find a mate, lay and care for one precious egg and raise the young penguin to fend for itself. It is an unbelieveable journey not to be missed!
Good but does not fill in the holes...
I liked this movie. It was a quick movie that documents one mating season of the emperor penguin. Stunning pictures of their travels and tribulations, the producers are to be commended for such a daring documentary.
What bothered me at three different points in the movie was the lack of follow-up for what I felt were turning points for many of these penguins. For example, I would liked to have seen the reactions of penquins returning from sea to find their eggs or young dead. Do they immediately return to sea? What do they do?
I would have also liked the authors to explain why the mothers (and fathers) do not defend their young from predator birds. I thought it was odd that after all that investment, the mothers would just let their babies be attacked by a bird. A theory, or theories, since they are given at other points in the movie would have been beneficial.
Aside from these lack of follow-up or follow through instances, the movie is worth watching and I give it 3.5 stars.
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