Over the weekend I decided to watch the environmental documentary, African Cats. The film was released last year on Earth Day, what better timing for a new documentary film devoted to wildlife. African Cats captivates the audience as you follow a year in the life of a group of lions and cheetahs through Kenya. The films emphasis was on female cats that are the heroes. The audience is first introduced to Layla, an aging lioness struggling to keep up with her pride for the survival of her daughter, Mara. Then introduced to Sita, a single mother cheetah of three who lacks a pride for protection and food.
Samuel L. Jackson over dramatic narration emphasizes the anthropomorphism throughout the film. African Cats tumbles into anthropomorphic cuteness and applies human motivations to animal behavior. Throughout the film the audience can’t help but have sympathy through the suspense as the feline moms struggle for survival against hyenas, crocodiles, male lions, and cheetahs. The film anthropomorphizing of the cat with human emotions and motivations make the story emotional and are effectively done. The audience gets to know these wild cats enough to invest their sympathy through dangers and losses. The losses are balanced by triumphs and comic relief to teach children about life and death, without traumatizing them.Overall, the animals are heavily anthropomorphized, which most documentaries are. Jackson, in his narration tells us what the feline moms are thinking, feeling and planning, giving them human responses to situations that might not mirror what a big cat is actually thinking, feeling or planning. Some of these emotions and thoughts that are recognized to the felines can be applied from their actions but others are all invention. I found this bothersome somehow, as if I was being lied to. Certainly, maternal instincts are highly sharpened when cubs are missing or in danger, the fight for survival begins.
Besides bestowing Sita and Layla with the very human quality of maternal worry, the filmmakers heighten the tension by giving other animals human traits. For example, the filmmakers depict Kali, a rival to Layla’s mate, Fang, as a cunning empire-builder intent on overthrowing the reigning king of the jungle. In addition to the cats, hyenas are filmed as villainous, creepy and cub-hungry.
The cinematography is breathtaking through the aerial shots of the savannah, winding river and the migration progress of numerous species. The close up shots of the felines as they slowly creep up on their prey in which the audience can see the movement in their muscles and shoulders are astonishing.
I enjoyed the film, as I do almost all environmental documentary films. I didn’t feel they needed to turn these amazing creatures into characters. The narration should have been kept to a minimum in my opinion and let the film speak for itself. I would not consider the film to be educational or a naturalistic look at feline behavior. African Cats is less preaching and more heart tugging.
