Synopsis:

"Narrated by James Earl Jones, this documentary from Disneynature follows the path of the sun as it explores our world. Incredible photography allows Earth to focus on a trio of animal mothers and their children: polar bears, elephants, and humpback whales."

Admittedly, I'm not a huge fan of documentaries in general, so I was personally a bit unsure about Earth. Having been thoroughly impressed by the trailers, though, I decided to give the film a chance. And while not terribly informative or thought-provoking, Earth proves to be a visually breathtaking film, and a solid initial effort from Disneynature.

Let me say again that - at the risk of sounding cliché - the cinematography in Earth is absolutely breathtaking. Honestly, this is the most beautiful-looking film I've seen in some time. From the lush forests of South America, to the tranquil, snow-covered Boreal Forest, the vistas showcased are nothing short of incredible. This is a film that has to be seen on the big screen (though it's a shame that the film wasn't displayed in IMAX), and if nothing else, you'll at least appreciate the film for its visuals.

The problem with Earth, though, is its lack of focus. While it was apparently intended by the filmmakers that the film be about the journey of these three animal families, it never really feels like it. I felt that, especially in the case of the two whales, more time should've been spent focusing on them, as their few scenes are easily the most intriguing parts of the film. In fact, while the Superb Bird of Paradise's mating ritual scene is simply hilarious, seeing a family of baby chicks fail first flight as they jump from a tree and plummet to the mound of leaves is adorable (which actually includes a pretty clever reference to a certain Pixar film), and the entire film just looks astonishing, the majority of the middle portion of the film just feels hollow to me. Ontop of that, Earth seems somewhat unbalanced in its desire to teach, as well as entertain.

Despite these flaws, though, Earth is worth seeing. The story of these three families, while a bit too short, is both heartwarming and borderline tear-jerking. James Earl Jones does a fantastic job as the film's narrator, and the action sequences, though few and far between, literally had me on the edge of my seat. Check it out, folks.

7.5/10