 As
far as parenting goes, the Emperor Penguin would put most species to
shame. What these resilient and beautiful creatures do to ensure the
survival of their young is nothing short of miraculous and in Luc
Jacquet’s remarkable documentary, March of the Penguins, it has all
been caught on film. What the filmmakers must have endured to record it
is equally astonishing.
Jacquet’s film, narrated by Morgan Freeman, begins as the Antarctic
summer ends and thousands of Emperor penguins hurl themselves from the
relative security of their true environment – the sea – onto the icy
and inhospitable terrain above. Virtually in single file, they begin a
journey to their breeding ground, knowing instinctively where the ice is
thick enough to hold their heavy horde. Instinctively, too, they know
which partner they want to pair up with. The mating begins, the eggs are
laid and another incredible phase begins.
The female transfers the egg to the male who protects it under his belly
just above his feet. If this delicate manoeuvre is not successful, some
of the eggs are doomed before they hatch. The female then leaves to hunt
for food in the ocean while the male zealously guards the egg for two
months during which time he does not eat. In sub-zero conditions and
stinging gales, the males huddle together for warmth and protection,
taking turns to move to the warmer centre of their group. When the eggs
hatch, there is only a few days left in which the chicks can survive and
the return of the females is critical. When they do, the process is
reversed, and the males make the long trek to the sea for food.
The danger for the chicks is still not over and not all of them will
live, but the effort that goes into ensuring that so many of them do is
astonishing. Perhaps even more so is the fact that at the end of this
yearlong cycle, when the chicks are more able to fend for themselves,
the adults – who have endured such extreme conditions to protect their
offspring – leave them behind, probably never to see them again.
Enthralling, moving and visually stunning, March of the Penguins is
documentary filmmaking at its most entertaining and illuminating. How
some of the amazing shots were achieved for this film would make a film
in itself, and some behind-the-scenes moments that accompany the end
credits are enough to whet the appetite for more.
Rating: G
cast A whole heap of Emperor Penguins
Director Luc Jacquet
Distributor Roadshow |
