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Truly Dreadful Film

Memorable, crazy movie

brilliant actors, brilliant editing

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Chimpanzee (2012): Dir: Alastair Fothergill, Mark Linfield / Narrator: Tim Allen: The best Disney Nature documentary since Earth, and presents an opportunity to highlight wildlife that is threatened due to poaching and habitat loss. It begins with stunning shots of African jungle including heavy fog blanketing the trees in the morning. It regards a clan of thirty plus chimps but focuses on Oscar, a curious baby chimp who depends on his mother. One of the strength of the film is how viewers can relate to much of what these creatures are dealing with. Oscar observes as his mother uses rocks to crack nuts, but often his attempts lead to some of the film's amusing moments. Another interesting moment arrives when they bend smalls branches to form a bed. Suspense occurs when a band of rival chimps invade, led by Scar. If memory serves correctly, that was the name of one of the lions in African Cats as well. Perhaps it is a popular name amongst wildlife as oppose to Bill, Tim or Satan. Oscar's mother becomes injured during one of these raids and they become separated. This leads to Oscar's mother becoming fast food to a leopard. Oscar is pretty much rejected from other female chimps but finds refuge in the most unlikely place. The leader, Freddy adopts him. With this responsibility he also must be watchful of Scar. That isn't all roses either since Scar is under threat by rivals who wish to replace him as leader as well as the ever looming presence of leopards. The jungle photography is stunning and backs up a message of motherhood, bonding, friendship, and companionship in the unlikeliest places. Score: 10 / 10

Today I saw the latest DisneyNature release, Chimpanzee. While I thought it would be a lot like every other G rated Disney nature film, I admit it - I liked it. Although, I wondered through the whole showing if this was a scripted movie. Stuff like this doesn't really happen in true-life nature, does it?? So I came home and Googled it. This IS a Disney/Jane Goodall Institute Documentary about the life of Oscar, a very young chimp in the African jungle. It took 4 years to film. And the incredible turns of events are all true. The film makers lucked out in coming across a story that is fairly rare. My biggest caution is that Disney put together this movie in such a way as to get you very attached to the chimps they filmed. In this way, Disney leaves behind the detachment that should be present whenever a documentary is produced.This movie was made with children in mind, however they didn't gloss over too much real life in the jungle sort of thing. They show chimps hunting (for monkey meat) and they show different chimpanzee "tribes" at war. There are also some mothers nursing. And in true Disney fashion, a parent dies. The thing that stings a bit is that it really happened, so, as always, take into consideration your child's personality if you take them to see it. Disney did a good job of letting us adults know what was happening without being too graphic. While there is hunting for meat, there is no blatant devouring or ripping and tearing of flesh. And when the parent dies they talk about it, but she isn't seen shortly after she is separated from her group. And in the end, it isn't totally a story about warring chimp tribes but rather a story about one chimpanzee going against his nature to care for a helpless, orphaned youngster. There were several pre-schoolers in the audience when I saw it and none of them had a problem that I was aware of.Tim Allen narrates this movie with the style and voice of a typical Disney movie. In fact, at the beginning I was wondering where they got that guy from the nature films I saw in 1970! The film makers got extremely lucky to have the honor of catching on film a rare story that gives us a glimpse into a world normally hidden by jungle trees. The photography is amazing (how did they possibly get that close to wild beings to get the shots they did??). I was glad, too, that Disney has made a nature movie with children in mind. I loved Disney Nature movies when I was a child and I am glad that my grandchildren can see them too.

Although I basically enjoyed this film for the most part, I had had enough after the first hour. I continued to the end but got fidgety and I fear most children will too. It is interesting and the cinematography is tremendous, just a little too slow. I was amazed to learn that chimps form packs and war with other packs; they are like us in the bad ways too, evidently. It would have been nice if there was an on screen notation that Tim Allen was the narrator as I did not know this ahead of time and kept trying to figure out who it was; his name did not appear till the very end of the credits - what's up with that? I cannot honestly recommend this film for any but die-hard animal lovers and not children under the age of 10 as it will just not hold their interest.

I walked into this movie not knowing what to expect. I am more of a "serious" moviegoer, and I generally don't see films geared towards children. I would describe this movie as half brilliant documentary and half cheesy kids movie.I had issues with the color timing in parts, which made the film look almost animated and artificial. I wasn't quite sure what to believe was natural footage and what was some sort of staged animal wrangling or CGI. As the movie progressed it became pretty clear that it was all authentic, but Tim Allen's narration combined with the almost-too-convenient dramatic story arc still kept me at arm's length.Ultimately this movie delivers a touching story of a young primate and his tribe. Though somewhat contrived at times there are many, many moments of genuine intimacy that tug the heartstrings and also make you wonder how in the world they got these shots. Thankfully there's a bit of explanation at the end.Do I regret seeing it? Not at all. Do I wish it had been made as a more traditional documentary? Yes.