Chimpanzee (DVD REVIEW)
Chimpanzee
DVD Review
by Kam Williams
Disneynature Documentary Features Adventures of Orphaned Chimp
This delightful Disneynature
documentary, narrated by Tim Allen and shot in the wilds of Africa’s Ivory Coast,
revolves around the adorable antics of a big-eared, infant chimp named Oscar.
Co-directed by Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield, the film chronicles the
little fellow’s evolution from an overprotected momma’s boy into a toddler forced
into survival mode by circumstances beyond his control.
At the point of departure, we find 3
month-old Oscar living in the heart of the jungle
where he’s surrounded by a tight-knit, extended family of 35 chimpanzees.
There, under the watchful eye of his doting mother, Isha, he plays with other
youngsters while tentatively exploring the wondrous new world around him.
Oscar
is totally oblivious of all the surrounding threats to his existence, like
ferocious leopards and the rival tribe located nearby which covets his clan’s
bountiful grove of fertile nut trees. Defense of their turf proves to be a
collective affair orchestrated by their fearless leader, Freddie. Like the
Hatfields and McCoys, these sworn enemies skirmish intermittently with Oscar’s
clan generally getting the better of the exchange, despite being badly
outnumbered.
A
little lower on the food chain are monkeys, the chimpanzees’ favorite meat to
eat, since all it takes is just one of them to make a mouth-watering meal
that’ll feed three dozen. But first, a critter must be caught via a complicated
method which calls for members of the hunting party to play the roles of
stalkers, blockers and ambushers in order to ensnare their prey.
The
picture’s plot thickens the day that Isha disappears during a battle, never to
be seen again. And when it looks like her suddenly-orphaned son might soon
succumb to a predator or the elements, alpha male Freddie inexplicably rises to
the occasion, spontaneously displaying maternal instincts he had never
previously exhibited.
The
impromptu bonding prompts the observing primatologists to wax poetic: “The loss
of his mother could’ve meant the end. Instead it’s a new beginning.” Must-see
family fare for animal lovers and suckers for such visually-captivating
wildlife adventures like March of the Penguins and Winged Migration.
Excellent
(4 stars)
Rated G
Running time: 78 minutes
Distributor:
Disneynature
2-Disc Blu-ray/DVD
Combo Pack Extras: See Chimpanzees, Save Chimpanzees; Disney’s Friends for
Change; Disney’s Conservation Legacy; The Making of Chimpanzee; “Rise” music
video; Behind-the-scenes of the music video; and more.
To see a trailer for Chimpanzee,
visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb8AeSh1rGs
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