March of the Penguins Review
by Homer Yen (homer_yen AT yahoo DOT com)July 19th, 2005
"March" to a Different Beat
Sometimes, in the midst of all of the summer blockbusters, things begin to look a bit too artificial. Perhaps we feel inundated by aliens; superheroes; explosions, and Jedi Knights. Well, there's no better time than now to go back to nature. I'm talking penguins! And what a great story they have.
"March of the Penguins" is a grand piece of counter-programming that is part documentary, part drama, and part soliloquy to the Emperor Penguin. It is narrated with a kind of poetic admiration by Morgan Freeman. And it is a fascinating look at the penguin's mating ritual that is brutal but necessary so that they can perpetuate their species.
We see Emperor Penguins endure a 70 mile hike to their mating grounds. They come from all directions. They waddle when they can. They slide on their bellies when they need to. But somehow they have an internal compass and a self herding nature that brings them all to a particular spot once a year every year. Monogamous creatures, they practice the politics of romance that alludes perfect explanation, but soon the males and females find their desired partner.
While wholly interesting thus far, the second half is filled with greater amounts of emotion. It is imperative that the newly laid egg (just one per penguin) be carefully guarded. There is a palpable sense of tension. If the egg is exposed a bit too long to the cold, then their efforts will have gone in vain. Females must entrust their eggs to their male partners and then return to their feeding grounds before they die of starvation. With the onset of winter, the ice shelf has expanded, which means that the penguins will have to walk farther than before to return to the sea. The females hope to stock up on food, if they can elude their hungry predator, the sea lion. Then, they will return to their mating grounds to feed their offspring. Meanwhile, the males who are tending the eggs have to survive violent winters that are common across the Antarctic tundra where temperatures routinely drop to 80 degrees below zero. There is hope and tenderness all around. And while victory may come in doses, so too does death to those not strong enough to survive the harsh elements. This led me to one question, which was: for all those couples who failed in the ritual, what part do they now play? Do they act as a sort of cheerleader or provide supporting help? That's never quite answered.
However, we see how amusing Emperor Penguins are, such as how each one has a unique trumpet (although to an outsider, they collectively sound like a 56k modem trying to dial up). We see how beautiful they are. In fact, the babies look like cuddly balls of lint. And we see how nature has equipped them with survival skills. Penguins can hold their breath for up to 15 minutes, can dive to depths of 1700 feet, and can go 2-5 months without eating.
It's a beautiful movie. And you'll appreciate what it took to film these penguins as the end credits provide a glimpse at how the camera crew trekked miles to set up the myriad of cameras that would help to create this film. "March of the Penguins" is the kind of film that I wished existed when I was in my 8th grade social studies class. It is National Geographic and Discovery Channel rolled into one lyrically and visually charming package.
Grade: B+
S: 0 out of 3
L: 0 out of 3
V: 1 out of 3
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