Five years in the making, the joint effort of Disney, the BBC, and Discovery Channel, Disneynature's Earth, was filmed in 62 countries and on all 7 continents. Narrated by James Earl Jones, this documentary, similar in content to the extended documentary Planet Earth, chronicles the migration of 3 animal families over a one year period, while at the same time, capturing the ominous signs of global warming.

Originally released on Earth Day 2009, this is the first film in the new Disneynature project, the follow-up to its award wining True Life Adventures series. The documentary features spectacular cinematography, including sweeping panoramic views of brilliant red sunrises, massive sand dunes, majestic snow-capped mountains, and uniquely framed shots of windows of the world, photographed from airplanes, helicopters, and hot air balloons. It follows the migratory patterns of a family of polar bears emerging from their bin 800 miles south of the North Pole for the first time, the perilous journey of a heard of elephants from the parched Kalahari Desert, through the savannah to the lush delta, and humpbacked wales in Antarctica,  as they attempt to fend off violent attacks by sharks and sea lions.

Spanning the globe, many of the shots are violent and may not be suitable viewing for young children,  including the attempts of a hungry polar bear to feast on a pack of walrus's, a lion attack on baby elephants, and shark attacks on the humpbacked wales. James Earl Jones' deeply resonant voice, adds to the dramatic effect of these violent, but bloodless scenes. The Blu-Ray version sound and picture quality are excellent with crisp, sharp, images, and a pleasant, but low-key, orchestral musical score.

While primarily a study of animal behavior, this film presents its case for human involvement in the prevention of global warming in a non-political format, with the emphasis on preservation of our world's natural resources. It also captures some visually stunning, rare, photography of Angel Fall's, the largest waterfall in the world, as well as, the colorful southern lights of the aurora australis.

The cinematography is often breathtaking, moving, and heartbreaking at the same time. Yet, Disneynature's Earth is primarily the story of the fragile balance between animal life and our planet's diminishing natural resources. Beautifully rendered and narrated, I highly recommend this film for fans of the BBC series Planet Earth or the popular documentary March of the Penguins. Others may find this 96 minute documentary to be a bit slow and plodding, despite its effort capture the spontaneous behavior of animals in their natural habitat.

Bonus Features:

Earth Diaries: 43 minute making of the film documentary
Filmmakers Annotations commentary and behind the scene footage
Pop up menu displaying the time and weather conditions in your area
Blu-Ray version includes a DVD of the film

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older