Generally when new movies come in for review, it means a light hearted night on the couch with my daughter and a bowl of popcorn. When Disneynature’s African Cats came, the situation was a little different. Unlike most movies we watch, African Cats depicts real creatures in their life and death struggles as they survive and care for their young in a harsh environment.
African Cats takes viewers deep into the breathtaking African savanna to witness the heart-stopping rivalry between two lion prides and the epic journey of one brave cheetah family. Shot over the course of two and a half years using state-of-the-art camera equipment, African Cats captures the awe-inspiring beauty of one of the wildest places on Earth as it tells the dramatic and often intimate stories of Mara, an endearing lion cub who strives to grow up with her mother’s strength, spirit and wisdom; Sita, a fearless cheetah and single mother of five mischievous newborns; and Fang, a proud leader of the pride who must defend his family from a rival lion clan.
Although the documentary depicts these very real conflicts between rival animals, Disney does a very good job making them friendly and very accessible to children. They provide a wealth of opportunities to acquaint younger viewers with these animals in a realistic manner, while leaving room for discussion and growth.
An awe-inspiring adventure blending family bonds with the power and cunning of the wild, African Cats captures the real-life love, humor and determinations of these majestic kings of the savanna in an exciting, heartwarming and visually stunning tale that is sure to engage children and adults alike. The film is narrated by Oscar-nominated actor Samuel L. Jackson and directed by Alastair Fothergill (Disneynature EARTH) and Keith Scholey.
In addition to the film, the discs include an incredible array of bonus features that take viewers deeper into the savanna through extensive interactive behind-the-scenes footage including filmmaker and conservationist interviews, an incredibly touching music video featuring Jordin Sparks singing “The World I Knew,” plus a look at the global efforts to which The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund contributes.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTVk5cmhQxk
Bonus Features
DVD:
- Disney & Nature – Viewers get a deeper look into the conservation efforts around the world being sponsored by The Walt Disney Company.
- Save The Savanna – A comprehensive look at Disney’s “See African Cats, Save the Savanna” program and its impact on the region.
BLU-RAY
Everything on the DVD, plus…
- Filmmaker Annotations – This interactive in-movie feature is a viewing mode with 12 different segments that allows consumers to watch behind-the-seans footage of the productions process and hear stories from the fimmakers and conservationists who spent several years making the film.
- Jordin Sparks “The World I Knew” Music Video
MOVIE DOWNLOAD
Everything on the DVD, plus…
- Introduction To Masai Mara – a segment from the Flimmakers Annotations Blu-ray feature
- Filming The Cats – a segment from the Flimmakers Annotations Blu-ray feature
- Sophie’s Elephants – a segment from the Flimmakers Annotations Blu-ray feature
