Virtually
everyone loves animal documentaries. And
the best kinds are those that not only inform the audiences, but also make them
empathize with the subject animals. This
can be accomplished when names and personalities are given to the animals, and
their behavior and the chronicles of their daily routines are interpreted through
an enthralling narrative.
Disneynature – an
independent film label under Walt Disney Studios that produces nature
documentary films – has perfected making these through the years. Monkey
Kingdom, the label’s latest offering, could be their best yet. Narrated by Tina Fey, the film focuses on a
troop of toque macaque monkeys living in a (if I remember it correctly) Sri
Lankan jungle.
The central protagonist
of the story is Maya, who belongs to the lowest level of her troop’s social hierarchy. The story follows her daily struggles for
survival while enduring the disadvantages of being a low-born, and how she is
able to eventually overcome all these hardships and make a bright future for
herself and her son, Kip.
Monkey Kingdom is brilliant,
charming film that effectively blends learning and entertainment. It doesn’t have a dull second, not only because
monkeys are innately comical creatures, but because the beautiful footage are expertly
manipulated to create a genuinely endearing drama that could almost rival the
best of Walt Disney’s most heartfelt animated features. It’s easily one of my favorite movies of the
year.
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