Dir. Luc Jacquet, France, 2005, 85 mins
Cast: Morgan Freeman (narrator)
It is a story of triumph over adversity. Survival in a harsh environment, dominated by predators and larger rivals. Luc Jacquet’s documentary about the Emperor Penguin was thrown into the midst of the US box office to jostle for position alongside Michael Bay’s behemoth The Island and The Dukes of Hazzard remake, to name two. It is fitting that over a three month “march” up the charts the tale of these flightless birds, until now best known for their chocolate counterparts, would out-perform all to become the second biggest documentary of all time (behind Fahrenheit 9/11).
The film chronicles the journey taken by these majestic creatures over the harsh terrain of the South Pole, to their mating grounds of generations gone by. Their epic struggle sees them encounter the bitter climate of snow storms, the danger of predators from both the skies above, and the cold sea below, all with one unrelenting target - life. The penguins march over 70 miles numerous times over a 9-month period. The process involves finding a partner and forming an unbreakable bond in order to successfully breed.
What immediately strikes you about the film is how little we actually know about the waddling Emperors. Who knew that the male looks after the egg for the majority of the chick’s early life? Who knew that the penguin has a flap of skin on its belly to incubate? Who knew that they would go three months without food and lose half of their body weight throughout the process? March of the Penguins gives the viewer an intimate invitation to bear witness to one of life’s most enduring struggles by one of natures most enigmatic animals.
Luc Jacquet has created a film with all of the ingredients of a Hollywood script but with infinitely more charm. From the clumsy nature of the penguins walk, to the beauty of their mating ritual. There is the curious way in which they find the direction of their journey based purely on instinct that adds a mystical element to the enchanting proceedings. There is the heartbreak of the older penguin that couldn’t make the journey one last time, and the new parents who in their eagerness to survive make their efforts futile by losing their newborn. It is very hard not to be captivated and moved by the films events, and the respect that you will generate for these animals is unparalleled.
There accusation that Jacquet does little more than point his camera and let proceedings unfold could be levelled at the director, and why should something that could easily sit on the discovery channel be shown at the multiplex. The answer to this is in the splendour with which the film is constructed. Jacquet doesn’t need to frame the penguins in any other way; they are aesthetically stunning without manipulation. The difference is in the portrayal of the penguin’s environment; the stunning cinematography brings the forces of nature to life, giving it character and adding to the element of danger that faces our black and white friends. Whether it’s the serene calm of the icy glacier, vast and empty, or the wind lashed clearing in which the story’s struggle takes place. A particular highlight signals a shift in fortunes for the penguins as the night sky dances with light in a luminous display of colours.
Pictures tell a thousand stories but March of the Penguins would not have the same impact without the poetic voiceover of Morgan Freeman. Adding humour and gravitas to the story his narration is precise and the script complements him perfectly, in particular when recognising that words aren’t necessary.
March of the Penguins should be seen by all. Do not dismiss it as a cinematic anomaly. It’s a rare beast that is accessible to all, and in an age when the screen is full of wall to wall CGI it’s comforting to know that one of the best films of the year has been provided by the greatest special effect of all, nature.
Matthew Rodgers
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