I just saw the new Disney movie Earth that features lots of animals, as Time Magazine put it “none of them cartoons.” 
The film follows a year in the life of the planet, beginning in the dead of winter, January, at the Arctic and ending a year later in the Antarctica at the end of a short summer. We meet a mother polar bear and two cubs as their snouts peek out from their winter den. The movie follows several other animals but bonding with three animals to tell the story of Earth: the polar bears, African elephants and humpback whales.
Disney put in place a new film unit called Disneynature. Earth is the company’s inaugural grand reboot to the big-screen nature documentary genre mirrored after Disney’s 1950s True Life Adventures wildlife series.
Being Earth Day, I thought, I’d take my daughter and her friends to view a fresh copy of Earth. It was spectacular, to say the least, an epic film giving due attention this vulnerable planet deserves. After the documentary, I reflected on the need to change our living habits to keep Earth intact for many generations to come.
According to Time Magazine, Earth will be opening in more than 1,800 screens around the country today, and Disney has high hopes for it because most likely it’s the biggest release of a nature film in history.
GamblingTattoos said
April 22 2009 @ 10:59 pm
Just for you to know, Disney promised to plant a tree for every ticked sell between today and the Saturday, I think. that means that you have done something already for Earth just by going to the movies.
Kenna said
April 23 2009 @ 8:09 am
That’s right! I know that happened yesterday for sure. Thanks for reminding us.
Ashley said
April 23 2009 @ 6:51 pm
I have to say I completely disagree with this review. I love watching documentaries about animals and the planet. The photography in Earth was truly breathtaking but the narration and writing was absolutely awful. I found myself fighting to keep my eyes open. I was very disappointed, I expected more from Disney.
My only consolation for this total waste of my time and money was that Disney has promised to plant a tree for every ticket sold opening week.
Kenna McHugh said
April 23 2009 @ 7:01 pm
Yes, I understand what you are saying Ashley. The narration could have been better; especially for the audience that is primarily youngsters.
Mark said
April 27 2009 @ 7:05 am
What a disappointment – narration was clumsy and trite, the footage was mainly ripped wholesale from the (much better edited and narrated) BBC series ‘Planet Earth’ and the editing was shocking.
The film leaped from one ’story’ to the next with what seems like reckless abandon, leaving the viewer wholly unsatisfied and mentally unchallenged.
I know this was a film aimed squarely at families but I’m afraid it jumped the shark for me when the (fabulous) voice of James Earl Jones was narrating the hunting down of an antelope by a cheetah.
It went something like this:
“and so, the circle of life, which we so rarely see from our comfortable position, is completed”
{cut away from cheetah about to kill antelope}
How on earth can we have such a pompous comment – telling us that we need to see how life sustains itself through the killing of creatures for food… THEN CUT AWAY JUST AS THE CREATURE KILLED FOR FOOD?
Overall, a HUGE disappointment. Invest some time and watch Planet Earth – even small kids will appreciate the deeper scientific integrity of the BBC version.
skyjade said
April 27 2009 @ 10:03 am
I also agree about the stilted and incomplete narration. I expected to receive more information about the impact of the changing climate on our fellow living beings of the animal and vegetal reigns. Especially since by watching the movie, many such questions came up in my mind. After all, it is a documentary… we should not only see pretty pictures but also learn from watching it.
I expected more from such a huge endeavor from the pros of the style.
Mike said
May 2 2009 @ 12:03 am
Sounds like a rip and repack of Planet Earth to me. I love James Earl Jones, but I keep trying to figure out how this is different than Planet Earth, which was outstandingly narrated by Sir David Attenborough.
Can anyone tell me if there is any additional footage to Planet Earth, or am I just paying to see the same thing, cut differently such that it creates a drama, and narrated by someone else?
Kenna McHugh said
May 2 2009 @ 12:53 am
Mike,
I know the promotion of the movie mentions based on Planet Earth or similar crew.
I went with two people who said they saw some footage in the movie that was the same on Planet Earth.
Warner Bros. Earth Day Widget says Planet Earth inspired Earth.
You can check out the widget if you like http://www.screenhead.com/reviews/warner-bros-earth-day-widget/
See if that gives you some information.
My take is that Earth is different with some similarities.