Arctic Tale (2007)

Next to your regular kind of documentaries, National Geographic also churns out full length films that hover somewhere on the line between documentary and film. This one is no exception, although it is rather subdued most of the time. You see, at times, this type of film tends to go for the overly dramatic touch. 'Arctic Tale' does not (well, mostly). This will leave you with an enjoyable film, but one that does feel a little hollow, because it doesn't explain much along the way. It goes more for the emotional angle. 

Even though the polar bears are featured very prominently on the cover, this film follows both a polar bear and a walrus. But probably because a walrus seems to be less cuddly, they get relegated to the background. Not so in the film. The parallels between the life of Nanu, the polar bear and Seela, the walrus, are many. Both creatures try to survive in a harsh environment that is made all the more difficult thanks to climate change. Maybe this film doesn't hammer it home like some others do (which is kind of a shame), but seeing a nearly full grown Nanu swim for a week to the brink of exhaustion only not to find a meal right away does tug at your heartstrings. 

What I did notice during this film, is that walruses are a lot more cuddly animals than you might think. Polar bears look fluffy, but they are more aggressive and a lot tougher on their cubs. Meanwhile, walrus moms have an aunt system, so there are two taking care of a baby, and they actually do hug in the water. There is a scene where the young pup gets lost, but when the mother and aunt find her, they absolutely engage in what can only be described as a loving group hug, flippers enveloped around one another and all. 

Who knew?

That being said, if you want to learn more about the day to day life of these animals, you won't find a lot of explanation here. Yes, we follow the little ones until they are about four years old and have their first babies, but through the narrative, it all focuses more on their struggles and less on the cold facts. That can leave you a little wanting for some form of guidance, but hey: this one is more about the drama. The voice over is provided by Queen Latifa, who has a nice warm tone to her storytelling and she feels more suited to tell this tale than a male voice would. Maybe because it's basically a tale of two mothers, but quite possibly because this sort of storytelling desires the soothing sounds of a female voice. 

'Arctic Tale' isn't the best of its kind out there. It has some gorgeous photography, but the pacing is a bit weird and they cut back and forth between the bears and the walruses because either one alone did not have enough material to warrant the 90 minutes, but still. If you like arctic animals and want to see something different for a change, give it a watch.