Rated G
Directed by Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield
Starring James Earl Jones
Earth is brilliant and beautiful.
This 99-minute epic tour of our home planet spans every scene from the crystal-clear shot of the Earth hovering in space to the heart-felt shot of a mother polar bear and her cubs waking from hibernation.
Earth takes us on a journey all over the globe that follows a year in the life of three animal families – polar bears, elephants and humpback whales – along with various other creatures that travel by land, sea or air. We get to see the behavior of the animal kingdom, but not the more brutal predatory behavior, rendering it family-friendly. There are also scenic waterfalls done from angles that nearly give you vertigo, along with shots of meadows, flowers and forests and much, much more.
Like most films, I went into this one with a few expectations. I expected to see a few of Earth’s more scenic images over a well polished score that would evoke a lot of “oohs” and “awws.” But from the opening scene of the planet Earth just hanging there in space, both my expectations and I were blown away. The scenic images are there but they are breathtaking. The score is there, but it was way better and then I heard it – the amazing voice of living legend, James Earl Jones.
The biggest surprise was that it didn’t go overboard with the global warming and anti-hunting messages. Sure, global warming is mentioned a couple of times, but nothing like Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth.”
Half way through the film I realized that the animals were providing the perfect balance of drama, suspense and comedy. As a family we were laughing one minute and trying to catch our breath the next. I loved all three aspects of the film.
As one mind-boggling scene tops another, you begin to ask yourself, “How did they possibly get that shot?” My favorite scene is of a great white shark leaping from the sea with ridiculous height while feeding on seals. You have to see it to believe it.
Simply put, EARTH is magnificent!
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
Absolutely. Gather the family together for this one. Though it is rated G and you don’t see the blood and gore like other nature shows, Earth does have a few moments that could be uncomfortable and violent.
Conversation Starter
Three Simple Questions (with Answers You May Be Looking for):
- What are some of the messages or themes you observed in this movie?
- How do you suppose we—as serious Christ-followers—should react to this movie?
- How can we move from healthy, Bible-based opinions about this movie to actually living out those opinions?
