There is a mesmerizing quality to “March of the Penguins” that will calm your family and set the children forth on the week ahead with a new sense of possibility.
This impeccable nature documentary doesn’t lull us to sleep, but induces us into a trance of disbelief capped by awe. Could penguins really do all that to survive and propagate their endearing species? Yes, they can, and they do, and innovative French director Luc Jacquet proves it all beyond an icicle of doubt with his patient and lush camerawork.
Mellifluous narrator Morgan Freeman calls the Antarctic emperor penguins’ saga a love story. I wouldn’t go that far — none of us knows the romantic inner life of the silly flightless birds. But I would say the emperors are as committed to raising an intact family as Mitt Romney is, and just as sleek.
“March of the Penguins” tells the incredible story of a colony of emperors, starting with newly fattened males popping out of the sea and trekking inland. They go 70 miles to get away from predators and weak ice, and then find a mate. Once the female has laid an egg, she immediately marches back to the sea to replenish her food, while the male keeps the egg warm for two months of howling blizzards. The chick hatches, mom comes back with a bellyful of baby food, and they trade places.
Jacquet gives his film depth and resonance by including the terribly sad parts. Some penguin eggs roll away, a mistake that can be fatal in seconds of arctic chill. Some chicks lose their parents in blizzards. Sea birds fly in to steal the young. It’s a harsh life. Jacquet doesn’t let us fool ourselves with the beauty of the landscape.
“March of the Penguins” set records for a nature documentary because it doesn’t really play like a nature documentary. It’s a robust story with character and emotion, appealing to adults, as well as children.
Michael Booth: 303-954-1686 or mbooth@denverpost.com
“March of the Penguins”
G for all audiences, with some scenes of death in nature. Best suited for families watching on a quiet evening, with kids 5 or older.
