The breath-taking vistas captured by the filmmakers, and the intimate close-ups of the animals themselves is impressive. Viewers will learn such fun facts as walrus pups memorize their mother’s faces with their ultra-sensitive whiskers and that polar bear cubs stay with their mother for up to three years during their development. The whole story is not cheery, as the animals must survive the dangers of predators and starvation, along with the changing face of the Arctic. Without using a heavy-handed tone, the film will show people first-hand the initial victims of climate change.
This film is a nice companion piece to “March of the Penguins” with a similarly moving portrait of two different arctic mammals in their life journeys. While the special connection people felt for the penguins and their family life will not likely be felt as immediately, the story will still have an intellectual and emotional impact on the viewer. One of the initial release locations for the movie was at Maine’s own International Film Festival in Waterville. If you didn’t catch the film this summer, you owe it to yourself to see and enjoy it with your family on DVD.
Rated G.
