Parents looking to experience the lifespan of a penguins with their kids would do best to realize that Luc Jacquet’s wildlife documentary is anything but a sugar coated film. What it really is is a gut wrenching and very realistic look at the plight of the penguins attempting to survive in the wilderness and what lengths they will go through to ensure the survival of their species in the midst of harsh weather, natural predators and genuinely difficult hurdles known as life and death. What is so special about “March of the Penguins” is that though it is intended for younger viewers it never sugarcoats the cruel reality of nature and how hard these animals have to work to live another day.
And there is also some genuine education to be had here. Did you know that if a mother penguin’s baby dies, she’ll try to steal the surviving baby of another penguin? Did you know that penguins are so similar most baby penguins can’t tell who their mothers are and mostly freeze to death in the confusion? Back in 2005 critics were quick to dismiss this film as a glorified National Geographic special.
While that’s true in some cases, “March of the Penguins” was such a success because it offered an earnest view of the wrath of mother nature while also embracing the animal for its strength and infinite will to live in an uninhabitable land. This jump started the penguin craze of 2005-06 and continues to find a place in film history as a nature documentary that was much more magical than anything you can find on television. And did we forget to mention the strong narration from Morgan Freeman? He’s a real highlight here.
As for the DVD set we get the original DVD in a box set paired with a cute little Penguin teddy bear on display along with a two disc version of “March of the Penguins.” There’s also a small booklet that points out various fish and what’s good to eat and to top that off we’re given eight large stills featuring various penguin breeds found in the documentary. Sure in some ways it’s just a repackaging but it sure is a great present for any wildlife fanatic. With a great nature film and fun prizes in the box, the Gift Set for “March of the Penguins” is worth the purchase.