‘Penguins’ captures stark reality of nature

“Penguins” is the family-friendly version of the highly acclaimed documentary “March of the Penguins,” which was the expanded Antarctic chapter of “Planet Earth.” Every DisneyNature picture is astonishing, breathtaking, spectacular, and any other descriptor than simply cannot do justice to the cinematography captured on our earthly planet.

DisneyNature turns this wildlife documentary featuring millions of penguins into a more personal anthropomorphic story of a single penguin family. This is a coming-of-age story about awkward Steve, who is reaching penguin adulthood and in search of a mate. We witness their struggle to raise two offspring in the coldest, windiest locale in the world. Unfortunately, the movie title “Frozen” had already been taken.

Replacing the meticulously knowledgeable and sometimes tedious narration of Morgan Freeman, this one features a sometimes-silly script by documentary writer David Fowler and the narration of the goofy Ed Helms (“The Hangover”). Helms seems to enjoy this story so much, you can almost guess which lines and sounds he just brilliantly ad-libs.

We learned a lot, but there is nothing preachy in the story other than presenting how life has worked in Antarctica “forever.” Life is very serious business in this vast wasteland, but there’s no rule against making it fun, so that’s what DisneyNature has done. The best part is that the full integrity of nature’s story remains intact.

The best stories can make you laugh and make you cry. This one is laugh-out-loud funny, starkly somber and overpowering to watch the reality of this setting unfold. The predators might be a bit much for small fry, but handled in a discerning manner, it’s integral to the survival-of-the-fittest laws of nature, including nature’s food chain.

Sure, they could have filled this entire short movie with lots of tight shots of cute little penguins waddling around the ice, but this film does both. It takes itself seriously while offering a spoon full of sugar to help the medicine go down. We witness Steve and his fellow pals in the icy Antarctic spring on a quest to build a suitable nest made only out of rocks. None of it comes easily for Steve, but nothing comes easy for anybody, does it?

From the DisneyNature filmmaking team behind “Bears” and “Chimpanzee,” experienced director Alastair Fostergill (“Planet Earth”) and newcomer Jeff Wilson led a crew that filmed for 900 days to create this short 76-minute film. With the black and white penguins on the white snow, maybe it could have been filmed in black in white. Then again, if they had, we would have missed the stunning blue skies and deep blue sea.

Many of the shots were taken from under the chilly waters. During the credits, there are “how they did it” shots of the crew. We found these infinitely more interesting than the mid-credit scenes in Superhero movies. The Gen-X and Millennial parents will enjoy the soundtrack that includes familiar tunes from Patti LaBelle, REO Speedwagon, Average White Band and even Whitesnake.

The full cast is dressed in tuxedos, but the audience is allowed to come casual. This is not a replacement or a challenge to “March of the Penguins.” It’s just a kid-friendly supplement to the masterpiece. This is a major accomplishment from one of the most dedicated crews in filmmaking. How can we not be grateful for their commitment?

“Penguins” is 76 minutes and rated G for general audiences. Like the films that preceded it, this is a beautiful film but filled with a wonderfully witty and clever script that should be mandatory viewing in schools. Kids of all ages will enjoy the story and learn something about nature that cannot be read in a book.

The mere sight of these portly little bodies clumsily waddling across the frozen tundra brings “goosies” to the audience. The harsh realities gain attention and respect from everyone. Mostly, we can’t help but care. This is a gorgeous piece of work because it captures the stark reality of nature, with no CGI critters needed. Happy Earth Day!

Ron’s Rating: B+
Leigh’s Rating: B+