Disney had a great tradition of nature documentaries that produced feature films in the 1950s and shorts throughout the 1960s (many of which were shown in schools). With DisneyNature, which kicked off a new series of films beginning in 2007, we are getting a new set of films that are co-produced with various partners, many of which take years to complete. With Monkey Kingdom, the latest offering now on Blu-ray, we get a look at Sri-Lanka’s Macaque population.
Educational? Yes, I learned a couple of things. I knew there was a societal hierarchy to large groups of monkeys and apes, but I didn’t expect it to play out the way it does. Entertaining? Absolutely. While there are some “staged” bits (look at the first interaction with the humans with a critical eye, especially the placement of the bicycle) overall watching the macaques interact in their natural habitat, without the overall story is enough. Try watching the film with the sound off.
There is a story though, a macaque at the lowest rung of society given the name of Maya. It is her adventure in society, climbing the social ladder, of family, and the struggle to find food that we watch over the course of Monkey Kingdom’s hour and 20 minutes. There is some fantastic cinematography, which you expect from DisneyNature. In many ways the imagery is really the selling point for these films, not the story.
My one complaint (other than how obvious a couple of scenarios are staged) is with the narration. Tina Fey is fine, but I do not find her voice authoritative, which is a quality I look for in any sort of documentary, even one about monkeys. Thankfully it isn’t distracting from the overall enjoyment. Kids and adults alike will enjoy this educational tale of Maya and her group of macaques.
Special features only show up on the Blu-ray (a DVD copy is included) and are decent if underwhelming. There is a short featurette with co-directors Mark Linfield and Alastair Fothergill about some of the more difficult shots. I would have preferred an audio commentary about the making of the film. There is also an even shorter feautrette with noted naturalists Jane Goodall and Wolfgang Dittus who visited the production. We also get a music video using footage from the film, then two short featurettes about the conservation efforts that DisneyNature is involved in, with one specific to this film.
Overall Monkey Kingdom is a good documentary with an engaging subject matter. Adults may not care to watch it multiple times, but kids will certainly enjoy the antics, even on a tenth viewing.