The most recent recipient of the American Humane Society's Genesis Award, "Born to be Wild" is a poignant nature documentary with something for the whole family. Originally a short film that did its rounds at IMAX theaters, the movie is now available in all its stunning glory on Blu-ray.
Morgan Freeman lends, via his voiceover talents, an added sense of importance and reassurance to the whole affair. The documentary focuses on the adoption of orphaned orangutans and elephants in the South Pacific and their rehabilitation back into a wild environment (hence the title). Taking place deep in the rainforest-laden landscape of Borneo and the expansive Kenyan savannah, the setting itself takes on a personality of i's very own. In some circumstances, the environment takes precedence over the animals themselves, the movie is simply that picturesque.
Unfortunately, the baby animals find their way to their respective refuges via tragic circumstances. In most instances, their parents are killed by the hands of poachers, and without the aid of the various people in the documentary, the orphans would not survive in the wild. Through the dedicated efforts of the volunteers in Borneo and Kenya, the orangutans and elephants eventually learn to live as wild animals again.
Dr. Birute Galdikas spearheads the efforts in Borneo. A world-renowned primatologist, Dr. Galdikas nurses the baby orangutans back to health, oftentimes looking after them 24/7. Meanwhile, elephant expert Daphne Sheldrick leads the effort to take in the orphaned elephants abandoned on the plains of Kenya. The two women's unflinching courageousness is truly something to admire. It's hard to feel anything but completely inspired by the tender human care with which these animals are showered.
Not to mention, there's an overwhelming amount of cuteness to go around. If baby animals are your soft spot, this is basically a 40-minute "ohh" and "ahh" spectacle. Moreover, what the movie lacks in length is more than made up for with shear genuineness. Things don't always go as swimmingly as one may think at the refuges. In many cases, the animals are frightened, defensive and distrustful of humans due to having lost their parents at the hand of man. However, through constant dedication and a whole lot of love, the animals see a complete transformation. That coupled with Freeman's narration is enough to move you to tears.
The film comes in a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack that is unbeatable — especially the picture quality of the Blu-ray version. Just absolutely exquisite. Despite the brevity of the film, the special features help to fill the void of wanting to see more baby animals. There are six webisodes featured, each one taking a behind-the-scenes look at both refuges. There is not a "play all" feature, though, which is rather inconvenient. A director's commentary or some deleted scenes would have been nice, but the webisode featurettes end up being somewhat satisfying. Definitely a must own Blu-ray for any family movie night you have planned in the near future.
Film: 4 Yaps Extras: 3 Yaps