Earth (2009)

3.0

DOCUMENTARY
U.S. Release Date: 04/22/09
Running Length: 99 Minutes
MPAA Classification: G
Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Cast: James Earl Jones (Narrator)
Director: Alastair Fothergill, Mark Linfield
Screenplay: Alastair Fothergill, Mark Linfield, Leslie Megahey
Cinematography: Richard Brooks Burton, Mike Holding, Andrew Shillabeer
Music: George Fenton
U.S. Distributor: Disneynature

Review by: Carter Moulton

05/10/09

With perhaps the most ambitious movie title of all time—discounting Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life—Disneynature’s first release, Earth, takes a broad look at our planet’s wildlife, and, in Disney fashion, creates dramatized narratives from these observations. The film’s main stories include: a family of polar bears and their struggle for survival, a herd of elephants as they travel across the precarious desert, and a humpback whale and her son as they journey to Antarctica. Don’t be misled, there are hundreds of other animals to see in Earth and most of them have their own little stories, but only these three are consistently revisited during the film’s runtime.

Photo © Disneynature

Earth is basically a watered-down version of BBC’s “Planet Earth” television series (2006), which I am a huge fan of. The film has already been screened in many parts of the world since its creation in 2007. To clarify: Disney didn’t actually make Earth; BBC and director Alastair Fothergill—the makers of “Planet Earth”—decided to make a film version of their experiences while working on the documentary series. Disney simply picked it up and distributed it to American theaters. That being said, if you have seen “Planet Earth” there isn't much new to see Earth. Not only is much of the footage recycled from the television series, but “Planet Earth” is more informative, less anthropomorphistic, and deeper resounding than its cinematic counterpart. Don’t worry, I’m not condemning Earth—“Planet Earth” is one of my favorite creations of the past half-decade.

Earth is at its best when James Earl Jones is either a). not speaking, or b). not chatting away with sassy one-liners. The images speak for themselves, and narration, while obviously included for a younger audience, distracts from the beauty onscreen. Jones doesn’t ruin the film by any means, but I found myself eagerly awaiting the moments of quiet. It is in these moments that Earth prevails. When the images are showcased in silence or accompanied by light orchestration and we see the images of our world—my favorite being the glowing aurora australis—it’s impossible not to feel moved. The photography is gorgeous and makes great use of time-lapse and slow-motion technologies.

The film is rated G, and although some of the hunter-hunted scenes will keep you filled with suspense, there isn’t any blood or carnage to worry about. All audiences should enjoy their experience—I was surrounded by satisfied individuals aged 5 to 78. Earth is a now-or-never release: If you’re thinking this is a “rental,” there’s no point. Just rent “Planet Earth.” But Earth is well worth the price of a ticket—mainly because it offers a chance to see these picturesque images of our world on the big screen.