DVD Review: Arctic Tale – HD

Writer: Linda Woolverton, Mose Richards
Director: Adam Ravetch, Sarah Robertson
Cast: Queen Latifah, Katrina Agate, Zain Ali, Preston Bailey, Kwesi Boakye
Rating: G
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: December 4, 2007

It took fifteen years of filming to create Arctic Tale. Whether you grow to love this film or you end up being one of the many critics, you have to give the creators of this film credit. It took a large amount of work to follow these animals around. The conditions were not always the best and watching many of the things they have seen were most likely, heartbreaking. Yet, they managed to keep a game face and get the job done.

This is a message that needs to be told. Done in documentary style, Arctic Tale comes with an important message, but includes scenes that may be hard for some children to watch.

Additionally, some parents are not going to want their children to watch this DVD. The reasons for this will vary. Some parents will not agree with the message. I have heard that critics have slammed Adam Ravetch and Sarah Robertson for including a political message in this documentary. Things like Global Warming have been mentioned in reference to the film. While Global Warming is not directly mentioned, the warmer conditions in the Arctic could easily be blamed for this and some parents will shun that theory.

I did not pick that message up from Arctic Tale. The message that I got came from the animals and had to do with survival. The success of Arctic Tale in your household will depend on whether or not you agree with the overall message of this film.

Release Information:
The story of Arctic Tale follows two animals living in the Arctic. During this tale there are many other animals that are involved in the filming. Made by the group that made March of the Penguins, there are mixed feelings about whether this film was better or worse. In truth, there really is little comparison other than the fact that they are both documentaries. Both films have excellent qualities, are informative and interesting, and have stars (with very different styles) that lend their voice to the story.

The first viewing for Arctic Tale occurred on the film festival circuit. In the UK, the film hit festivals in the summer. Shortly after, on July 17, 2007 it came to U.S. festivals with a limited theater release just a week later. In other countries, the film will be released in late spring of 2008. Arctic Tale was released on DVD courtesy of Paramount Home Video on December 4, 2007. In addition to this HD version, you can also pick up the film in standard DVD format. You can purchase the HD version of Arctic Tale at Amazon for $27.95.

The Arctic Tale – HD Plot
The story of Arctic Tale revolves around two animals that are babies. The star of the show is a baby polar bear that has been named Nanu. The other star is a baby walrus that they have named Seela. The use of baby animals makes the show more attractive to younger children. I found the documentary to be incredibly interesting, as well though I am sure it’s a harder sell for adults.

As you watch Arctic Tale you will see the story of Nanu and Seela as they begin their first moments of life, as they travel into adulthood, and eventually become parents. Animals generally learn to survive using the traditions that animals of their species have used for thousands of years. Unfortunately, with Arctic Tale things become tricky. The ice that these animals live on is thinning out and this causes both sets of animals to react in completely different ways in a quest for survival.

As you follow these animals through their quest for survival, you will be greeted with commentary by Queen Latifah. I expected some excitement thanks to Queen Latifah being attached. Her voice is pleasing and she is exceptionally talented when it comes to portraying emotions and making people have a good time. I found myself laughing at little things that she would say. The documentary was much more entertaining with her presence.

It was a somewhat somber film to watch since the animals have to adapt or die, but it is what they are going through, and it’s a story that needs to be told. While many of the animals compete against each other for food or as food and some attempt to bring the others down, you cannot help but worry about the fate that these animals could suffer. I couldn’t help but want them both to be alright. Throughout it all, the documentary impressed me, by teaching me things that I just did not know. These things, which were undoubtedly new to me, were both well presented and beautifully presented.

The most interesting part was watching the adaptations that the animals had to make to survive. It is sometimes hard to watch. Seeing the polar bears starving to death when they are unable to break the ice to find their food or when they try to get on the ice and it is too thin for them can make for a rather depressing scene. Normally, the bears are able to surprise the seals, which makes for a quick and easy meal. Unfortunately, with the seals on the ice and the sneak attack gone, you have to watch Nanu, her twin, and her mother slowly go hungry.

The family of walruses do not have it any better, as they end up having to travel hundreds of miles to find solid ground. At some point the bears end up traveling, as well, because it becomes apparent that they will need to find their food somewhere else or they will die. You will see a mother abandon her baby because there is no method of survival in these kinds of conditions, a battle between walruses and a polar bear, and a world that changes around the animals that cannot survive when too many changes take over their area.

The movie closes with children who offer tips and advice on what can be done to improve the environment and help suffering animals. Recommended tips include carpooling, taking public transportation, not changing light bulbs unless absolutely necessary, and things along those lines.

Arctic Tale comes with a powerful message about the environment even if it was not the intent of the film. I realize that many people may resist hearing this message though and if that is the case, you may want to skip this movie. It was given a G-rating and if you are going to watch with young children be prepared to discuss what your children see. They may have questions about why the animals fight and try to eat one another. Likewise, they might ask about starvation and why the Arctic was getting too hot for the animals survival. The questions raised will likely depend on the child.

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Audio/Visual:
Paramount offers a video presentation in HD that has a 1080 resolution and MPEG4/AVC transfer. It ends up looking pretty close to the theatrical release, which had an aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Now that we have the technical information out of the way, I will tell you that this is not going to look like your typical HD movie. This film was shot in the northern polar regions of the earth. The footage is not going to be perfect.

There are some grainy spots and there are some soft areas. This should be expected. However, it’s easy to watch and looks as good as the standard DVD. If you care about HD visuals, this won’t please you at all. For this reason, if quality is the only reason you buy HD, I would recommend the standard disc, as the quality is nearly the same and the price is cheaper.

The audio for Arctic Tale is Dolby Digital Plus 5.1. The sound and dialogue for Arctic Tale come through loud and clear. Every belch and fart (yes, there are a few heard in the animal kingdom) are easily heard. The sounds help everything come to life and make for an even more enjoyable picture.

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Bonus Features:
The extras for Arctic Tale are available in standard definition for the most part. The only HD addition is the theatrical trailer. The standard definition special features include the “Making of Arctic Tale” and “Are We There Yet? World Adventure: Polar Bear Spotting”. The only other inclusions are basics, like subtitles (English, French, and Portuguese), pop-up menus, and scene selections.

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Bottom Line:
I am not going to tell you that Arctic Tale was the best documentary I have ever seen because it’s not. However, it was a heartwarming story that aptly details the story that many animals have to face these days. It isn’t something that is easy to watch and it certainly won’t appeal to all people, but if you are open to a slightly comical (when not upsetting) circle of life type of documentary, then Arctic Tale might just be for you.

Overall Rating: Overall Rating:

Technorati Tags: Arctic Tale, Nature Show, Movie, DVD, HD, Queen Latifah, Documentary, Global Warming, Melting Ice, DVD Review

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Being a stay at home mom to three kids and a freelance writer keeps Lisa quite busy. Lisa is the wife of Patrick and the mother of Tim (17), Jaden (9), and Kayla (3). Having a toddler in the house makes things quite interesting. Lisa is an aspiring writer. She loves working for LI Kids because she can get the whole family involved in the reviewing process and write, which is her passion. In her free time she loves sewing and scrapbooking.