Rating: G
Starring:
Queen Latifah as Narrator
Special Features:
Making of “Arctic Tale”
“Are We There Yet? World Adventure: Polar Bear Spotting”
Other Info:
Widescreen
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Spanish and French Language
Spanish and French Subtitles
Running Time: 86 Minutes
Synopsis:
The following is from the DVD cover:
“Set in the vast snow kingdom at the top of the world, ‘Arctic Tale’ is a real life adventure from the people who brought you ‘March of the Penguins.’ Join narrator Queen Latifah as she follows two very different arctic creatures, Nanu, the polar bear cub and Seela, the walrus pup, through exciting and harrowing struggles for survival. Armed only with their natural instincts and mothers’ guidance, these inspiring animals face countless trials and challenges in a beautiful icebound world that is rapidly melting beneath them.”
“Arctic Tale” is rated G.
Mini-Review:
“Arctic Tale” wasn’t quite what I was expecting. On the surface it looks like many other nature documentaries. There’s amazing footage of polar bears, walruses, whales, and other animals. There are impressive shots of arctic landscapes and underwater environments. It’s really beautiful stuff.
But as the film progresses, it slowly changes into yet another global warming cautionary tale. You see polar bears struggling to cross thin ice. You see walruses having trouble getting on thin ice. You hear Queen Latifah mournfully tell you how the animals are having trouble finding food. Even here you can’t escape Hollywood beating you over the head about global warming.
This film is also G rated, but it’s a bit intense at times. Early in the film one of the baby polar bears dies. It’s a pretty sad moment and if you have younger children, they’ll probably be crying their heart out. “Arctic Tale” is the kind of movie you probably want to think carefully about showing to your kids.
I also question the casting of Queen Latifah as the narrator. Her down-home, Southern accent seems a bit out of place next to the harsh arctic environment. She did a good enough job, but I think there were better choices out there.
If you like nature documentaries then “Arctic Tale” is worth checking out, but you should be aware of what you’re getting before you pop it in the DVD player with your kids.
The bonus features are a bit light. “Making of ‘Arctic Tale'” is pretty self explanatory. It ends up being more interesting than the film itself. The creators talk about how they got all the amazing shots used in the film over the period of 4 years. “Are We There Yet? World Adventure: Polar Bear Spotting” features a couple of children hosting a polar bear spotting expedition in Canada. Little kids will beg you to go see polar bears after watching this.
