March Of The Penguins
Warner Home Entertainment   -   2005   -   80 minutes

Reviewed by Mel Thompson

Review Date: February 11, 2006

FOR STARTERS

PHOTO GALLERY Birthplace Gathering

This film is irresistible. Released in July of 2005 and narrated by the always-solid Morgan Freeman, Luc Jacquet�s March of the Penguins (La Marche de L�empereur) became the second-highest grossing documentary film to date (Fahrenheit 9/11 still holds the crown). It�s the perilous journey of Emperor penguins as they march across icy Antarctica for nearly a hundred miles only to converge at a breeding ground to mate. Being that this was a summer release, it astonishingly has all the elements of a summer blockbuster: suspense, drama, tragedy, adventure, and most of all romance. The theme of love is at the heart of this film, for it shows the commitment between male and female penguins as they nurture and raise their �chicks�.

These species are fascinating to behold. Penguins march through 80 degrees below zero conditions. They meet. They court. They make baby. Mommy penguin transfers egg to daddy penguin in a laborious, sometimes futile exercise of patience and proficiency. Mommy then embarks on an enthralling, heart-pounding adventure through the frozen regions of Antarctica in search for food, leaving daddy to protect the egg underneath his potbelly (how�s that for a declaration of the modern female?). However, the roles are reversed as she returns.

It�s obvious that filmmaker Luc Jacquet has a love for his subjects. We often hear the phrase about how much �the camera loves � because of how unbelievably photogenic that person is. In the case of this documentary, there are close-ups of penguins that are hauntingly beautiful, mainly in the way he photographs the penguins courting each other at the breeding grounds, as their necks curl and busts connect in a graceful soiree. Even the great David Lean would be proud of sweeping shots of penguins in a single-file line, trudging across endless snow and ice--the same way he filmed camels and Bedouins trekking across great deserts in Lawrence of Arabia. This shows a tireless passion by the filmmaker, and anyone who would that spend that much time in that part of the world has a heart for something. March of the Penguins doesn�t warrant in-depth analysis. It�s just harmless family entertainment that will mesmerize and enlighten throughout its 80-minute runtime (a feat that some films up to 2 hours in length fail to do). And being witness to their courage and devotion amid the freezing backdrop will surely warm you to the core.

VIDEO

Presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, March of the Penguins looks just as good on DVD as it did in the theaters. The sweeping panoramic shots of the vast barren landscapes of Antarctica are awe-inspiring. The color white is almost a character in this punishing environment. It is incredible to think of the people behind the camera for months on end in the harshest climate on Earth as they take hours of footage hoping to tell the story of these interesting animals. The only other real colors besides white are the splashes of yellow and the black inherent to the Emperor Penguins themselves. Don�t expect to take the color wheel for a spin on Antarctica.

AUDIO

Recorded in Dolby Digital 5.1, the viewer has the option of subtitled English, Spanish, and French audio tracks. As for the soundtrack, it�s simple and organic with cackling penguins and chilly winds, broken up by the occasional booming voice of our distinguished narrator, Mr. Morgan Freeman. Alex Wurman�s keyboard creates a lush musical soundtrack at the right moments, and overall you get a good audio helping for a documentary about our flipper-clad friends. The occasional Antarctic wind will blow across the rear speakers, but don�t expect any Earth-shattering audio effects like other summer blockbusters.

SUPPLEMENTS

The �Happy Feet� trailer featuring a tap-dancing penguin kicks things off before the film begins. Trailers for The Polar Express, Animal Holiday, and Duma are also featured. The DVD menu consists of screenshots which won�t give you too much hassle. A personal account of the director�s quest to capture the penguins on film is entitled �Of Penguins and Men� (53:42). National Geographic offers the nifty �Critter Cam: Emperor Penguins� where they strap a camera to a penguin to study their habitat. And what�s a penguin DVD without the Merrie Melodies classic cartoon, �8 Ball Bunny�, starring Bugs Bunny and a sidekick penguin (7:07)?

BOTTOM LINE

Just sit back and enjoy these beguiling little creatures showcased in a documentary so engaging, it�ll have you waddling like a penguin in no time.