When it comes to nature documentaries Morgan Freeman is a great
go-to-guy for the movie studios. He has a voice that can seem soothing
and pleasant to just about anyone.
Freeman narrates the latest IMAX 3D documentary "Born to be Wild" by
David Lickley (who also directed "Bears" and "Jane Goodall's Wild
Chimpanzees"). For a short 40 minutes Freeman does a first-rate job
stirring up many emotions in the viewer. Well, he doesn't do it alone;
he has some help from the adorableness of baby elephants and baby
orangutans.
Before this film I would not be able to locate Borneo on a map very
easily. Thanks to the clever direction by Lickley we see an interactive
map of both Borneo and Kenya where our story is about to begin. We are
also introduced to two women who have dedicated their lives to rescuing
and adopting elephants and orangutans who have been orphaned because of
the actions of mankind.
Daphne Sheldrick has set up an elephant sanctuary in Kenya; many of the
elephants are there because poachers killed their parents (the release
of this film could be really bad timing for the CEO of godaddy.com and
his recent elephant hunting video). She raises the elephants with a
team of zookeepers and is the only person to successfully raise an
elephant from infant to adulthood.
We then travel to Borneo to see Birute Galdikas' sanctuary for orphaned
orangutans. They have lost their homes and their parents due to man's
rapid expansion into their territory.
In both cases we experience a cuteness factor that would overwhelm just
about anyone with the warm fuzzies. We see the orangutans doing cute
human-like behaviors such as drinking milk from soda bottles, bathing
themselves and riding on the back of motorcycles. We also see the
elephants drinking lots of milk from bottles, playing soccer and
adapting to their human surroundings.
In the end, the captured animals are released back into the wild where
they belong. The journey back home is guided by humans, the same
species that orphaned them in the first place.
Should you see this movie? Yes, but only see it in the IMAX 3D format
for its vibrant images of the animals and for some wonderful shots of
both the African and Borneo landscapes. It's a seemingly flat story
with not too many ups and downs or much conflict. If it weren't for the
3D this could have been a straight-to-DVD release.
I do understand that Lickley wanted us to realize that there is a
threat of extinction for both of these species. However, we are not
given any action steps at the end. I would at least expect a website
address to pop up telling the viewers that they can do more to help
these orphans.
Born to Be Wild
2011
Action / Adventure / Documentary

Born to Be Wild
2011
Action / Adventure / Documentary
Synopsis
This heartwarming film documents orphaned orangutans and elephants and the extraordinary people who rescue and raise them-saving endangered species one life at a time.
Uploaded By: OTTO
April 10, 2012 at 10:41 AM
Director
Cast
Tech specs
3D.BLU 720p.BLU 1080p.BLUMovie Reviews
"Born to be Wild" in IMAX 3D
Possibly IMAX' best
This nature documentary from almost 5 years ago runs for 40 minutes and was directed by David Lickley and Drew Fellman. It is about elephants and apes. If you have an interest in these, this documentary certainly deserves a look. And if not, don't worry. These two kinds of animals are not among my very favorites either and yet I managed to enjoy this a lot, especially the very young animals were so cute. It has a lot of heart and also gives interesting facts. And Morgan Freeman as narrator never hurts either. There is some wonderful animal photography in here. To be more specific, this is about animal orphans and the people who give it their best to reunite them with their own again. Frequently, it's the human's fault that it had to get that bad as poachers killed their parents. That's why the film also has a nice moral. Sadly, those responsible will probably never hear about it or even if they do, they will probably not care. But raising awareness is not a bad thing either and it should teach us the most important less that we have to care for the planet we live on. And for all its wonderful creatures. However, actually we should know that already before watching this movie. And last but not least, there is also some pretty nice music in here. Very good documentary and I highly recommend it. A must-see for everybody with an interest in nature documentaries and I cannot praise the people in this video enough for what they do.
Beautiful film
Prepare to cry. This is a heart breaker. In a good way. I am speechless and in awe of the work that these ladies do. This was an inspiring film and made me want to do more with my life to give back. It really touches the viewer in a way that makes you realize we are all the same on a basic level, animals and mankind. They are so innocent that it makes me grieve for what we have done to affect their environment and right to be free and live full lives. I found myself laughing, crying, and feeling deeply moved by these animals and those who are saving them. This is a fantastic documentary. And Morgan Freeman narrates, which is sort of icing on the cake.