A young orangutan lives her life, and all the ups and downs that come with it, in Mark Linfield & Vanessa Berlowitz’s documentary Orangutan, now on Disney+.
It’s a time of year I always look forward to. I have always enjoyed the annual (or thereabouts) DisneyNature documentaries, released on or about Earth Day. Each looks at a different aspect, usually via a specific animal, giving a lens into their lives. Dolphins, African Cats, and Bears have had their time with the cameras (wider views ike Oceans, have fallen under the banner as well). They are easy to swallow, fun slices of natural life. DisneyNature need not be deep. They exist as an open, palatable entryway for children and adults to enter a world of nature. We want people interested and will do so in interesting ways. The tougher, more doomsday sort (not to disparage, we are at a convergence, but we all know that) can be found with a few more clicks on Disney+, but for one to watch with a kid and see that spark in their eyes, DisneyNature is the way to go. Premiering on Disney+ on April 22nd of 2026 is Orangutan, co-directed by Mark Linfield and his wife Vanessa Berlowitz; the pair previously made Monkey Kingdom, Tiger, and others for the series.
This year’s entry heads to Southeast Asia, on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, to find our elusive close cousin: the orangutan. Living high in the treetops of the rainforest, often thought to be solitary, they live their sweet swinging life. Orangutan means “people of the forest” in Malay, allowing an insight into how humanlike they are, and serving as a connection for viewers. Heck, the species uses a very basic sign language to communicate!
In particular, Linfield and Berlowitz chose to follow a young female, Indah. About twelve years old, she’s essentially an older teenager for us. We follow at just the right time. Her mother has a new cutie pie baby, aged 2, to handle, so it’s time for her to start to find her independence. Working just outside range and moving on, she learns how to live on her own, stake her own territory, and meet new friends. Like any young person branching out on their own, she finds out the hard way, though not too terribly hard here, how to do things she took for granted, like feeding and finding water. It’s all endearing watching the ups and downs of her personal journey.
As is often the case, these primates are our entry point to the rest of the ecosystem and how it works and flows. Several beautiful moments watching the majestic tiger. Gorgeous. The birds, bugs, and more highlight how well these systems work, moving in and out of one another. I loved the way birds used birds to find food. A fantastic insight highlighting the collision of myriad creatures, flora, and fauna working in tandem to create a bright, vibrant ecosystem. Those who are on the edge of being lost for so many factors. The world is huge, connected, and beautiful. Documentaries like this are a reminder to keep it safe.
The celebrity narrator, following up on John C. Reilly in Bears, Tina Fey for Monkey Kingdom, and many more, is Frozen’s Josh Gad. Honestly, I shuddered at hearing this. But he’s fine. Maybe even a little bored. There seems to be a major tamping down of his normal exuberance. Exurbance that annoys me but others enjoy. It’s very clear he’s reading from the script, not even trying to make it his own. Yes, the jokes in these things can be cloying and cheesy. That’s part of the fun, it’s the Jungle Cruise ride forced, self-aware cheese of reading, or should be. Put some pep into it, Gad!
Disneynature’s Organutan is another fine entry in the continuing series of light-hearted animal adventures, making another entry point for the young to appreciate nature and the myriad of documentaries on the Disney+ service (Including Herzog’s more serious Ghost Elephants from a few weeks ago). Now streaming on Disney+.
BTW, I sure hope you like “Be Like You” from The Jungle Book. You’re going to hear it a lot. I recall 4 times, including some instrumental versions. It was a bare necessity to listen to that soundtrack after I finished the flick.