Chimpanzee (Disney)
Rated G.
Narrated by Tim Allen.
Directed by Alastair Fothergill, Mark Linfield.
GRADE: A-
REVIEW:
Everybody say, "Awww.."
The latest DisneyNature documentary is Chimpanzee, opening to commemorate Earth Day is the story of a little chimp named Oscar and his family's struggle to survive in the jungles of Africa.
Oscar's story begins shortly after his birth and follows his group as the forage for food and avoid a rival band of aggressive chimps led by an ape named Scar.
Oscar's tale takes a tragic turn as he loses his mother and is shunned by most of the apes in his family. He eventually finds a new parent in Freddy, the leading alpha male of the group.
Oscar's adoption by Freddy is threatened once again as Scar's group invades their territory.
As documentaries go, DisneyNature's take on things tends to lean on the visual beauty of wildlife and their natural settings, and less on the more disturbing details of life in the wild. Chimpanzee (rated G) is no different, and glosses over the violence, sex and other animal functions known to be part of chimp culture.
Despite the watered-down version of chimp reality, Chimpanzee is a beautiful story of survival, love and adoption that kids and parents should enjoy.
The incredible photography of Chimpanzee cannot be overstated. It's a beautiful film about some beautiful animals with a beautiful message.
