Earth

Spliced together from footage taken from the BBC and Discovery Channel's Planet Earth TV mini series, Disney's Earth is more or less a 90 minute run through of the acclaimed TV show's stunning nature footage. Consider it the CliffsNotes version. There's a new narrator for the theatrical version (James Earl Jones) and due to the time constraints, the movie can seem a little disjointed as it jumps from one topic to the next. But there's no denying that the majestic images of nature and wildlife look all the more grand on the big screen, and make it worth the ticket price.

Let it be known that Earth the movie is no substitution for Planet Earth the series. The film is a much simplified take (most likely to appeal to young children), and has been censored. Whenever a predator attacks, we see the stalking and the initial pounce and attack, but then the movie cuts away. The best nature films always show both the beauty and cruelty of the wild, and the fact that the movie sidesteps the simple fact that life is a struggle for many animals makes the movie seem curiously uneven. We therefore often find ourselves marveling at the footage, but not as engaged as we should be. It also doesn't help that the narration by Jones is often cartoonish, and tries to humanize the animals. When we see a rainforest bird doing a mating dance for another bird, we hear Jones chime in on the soundtrack with "Time to get down!", which kind of takes us out of the experience. The movie is at its best when its letting us enjoy the footage without the voice over walking us through.

And yet, I cannot deny the power of the scenes on display. Though clearly edited to follow a loose narrative, Earth is a visual wonder, and never once feels like a TV show that's been blown up on the big screen. (A worry I initially had walking in.) The film takes us to different corners of the world, following various "families" as they try to survive in an ever-changing world. In the arctic, a mother polar bear takes her two cubs out into the world for the first time, while their father treks across the harsh land, looking for food. A herd of elephants make their way across the dry desert lands seeking water, while avoiding lions and the threat of exhaustion and dehydration. Finally, a pair of humpback whales make their way across the seas to Antarctica. We witness the struggles of their survival, with the story of the polar bear father and his quest for food being the most memorable and poignant, as he must overcome prematurely melting ice. The ultimate outcome of his story is also the film's most effectively emotional moment.

There is plenty of footage unrelated to the three central stories, and this is when the film is at its best. When the narrator goes silent, and the movie just lets us marvel at the footage, we're captivated. We feel like we're actually watching the intended footage, instead of something that's been spliced and edited together to create a narrative. The music score by George Fenton compliments the footage beautifully, and we can enjoy the movie for what it is. There are a wide variety of animals on display during these scenes, some of them far too brief. I guess this is understandable given the circumstances, but I still found myself wanting more. To its credit, the film's environmental message is obvious, yet subtle. While I was not a fan of Jones' narration, he at least does not hit us over the head with environmental guilt.

For all of its faults and questionable editing, Earth is still an experience. If anything, the movie is certain to open a lot of eyes to the world around them. I certainly was looking at my surroundings differently as I was walking home from the movie. So, I guess on that level, it works. Kids are almost certain to love it, and adults will find themselves awed at times. After seeing this movie, however, I only hope they track down the original mini series on DVD, so they can see the film as it was meant to be seen.

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