The Film
This follow-up to March of the Penguins provides northern exposure to the first years in the lives of a newborn polar bear cub and a walrus pup. The documentary style story chronicles how each animal is raised, and what they face in the seemingly hostile arctic regions. Narrated by Queen Latifah and filled with contemporary (albeit dated) music, Arctic Tale has less of a nature film feel than similar productions. The stars of the show are the young animals themselves, and while their environment is changing, this one manages not to preach or condemn the viewer. Life in the wild is never easy, but we can hope these characters are up to the challenge.
The Picture
Thanks to the latest technology, films such as Arctic Tale lack that dated look of those aging natural films, and on Blu-ray you'll almost feel the cold chill of the great white north. The 1080p 2.35:1 widescreen presentation brings the arctic directly to the viewer, and while the nearly all white scenery might not seem all that HD-worthy the result is actually impressive. The picture is free of any artifacts; and this makes for an experience that is the next best to getting up close and personal with these majestic creatures.
The Sound
The call of the wild can be heard loud and clear thanks to the Dolby TrueHD audio track. Most of the audio cues are subtle, and the producers wisely choose not to over do it with the surround sound. There is just enough of the sounds of the animals, along with a few musical pieces to set the tone. Throughout the film the narration by Latifah is steady and even, and while she doesn't get overly emotional it has a quality that suggests she really cared about the topic.
The Extras
The extras aren't quite as scarce as the shrinking polar region, but consist of just a short "making of" and an expanded feature on polar bear sightings. Additionally, as the stars of the film are again the animals, the "making of" actually takes down the fourth wall a bit too much at times.
Final Thoughts
The message of survival of the fittest comes through at times, and while this is a G-rated films there will be tears, as in the wild animals don't typically have the happy endings of Hollywood productions. But if you can get past the sad moments, the hopes for the future of these creatures sounds loud and clear.
Where to Buy
Product Details
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Actor: Narrated by Queen Latifah
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Directors: Adam Ravetch & Sarah Robertson
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Audio/Languages: English 5.1 Dobly TrueHD, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
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Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese
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Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
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Number of Discs: 1
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Rating: G
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Studio: Paramount
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Release Date: April 21, 2009
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Run Time: 86 minutes
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List Price: $19.99
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Extras:
- Making of Arctic Tale
- "Are We There Yet? World Adventure: Polar Bear Spotting"
- Theatrical Trailer HD
