Movie Review: March Of The Penguins & Eight Below

I actually dragged my mum to see March Of The Penguins on Friday while we were waiting for my car to be serviced and I could pick it up. I have been a little slack as it was supposed to be serviced in February. Finding the time to do it has been hard because I have been doing so much overtime at work!

It is definitely a "sanitised" version of some of the nature documentaries National Geographic are noted for. You can't help but look at these amazing creatures in a new light and realise that they are pretty intelligent - not to mention cute! A definite must see!!

On Monday, I went to see Eight Below. Another "sanitised" film as it was "inspired" by a true story. It has been given the Disney treatment, making it a kids movie - I read somewhere that of the 8 dogs, only 2 survived.

Plot: Jerry Shepard (Paul Walker) is the guide at a research base in Antarctica where his best friend is knockabout cartographer, Charlie Cooper (Jason Biggs). There is also an unspoken “thing” between Jerry and the team’s pilot, Katie (Moon Bloodgood) – which means that neither of them has done anything about their feelings for each other. Jerry, who believes his job precludes having a real girlfriend, nevertheless has eight “kids” – six huskies and two malamutes – who are as close to him as any human family.

The latest passenger that Katie flies into the base is Davis McLaren (Bruce Greenwood), a scientist who is searching for meteorite fragments from Mercury. With winter about to descend, the supposed location of these is dangerously distant, but a reluctant Jerry is ordered to take McLaren to the spot. The mission is a partial success - McLaren finds his meteorite - but on the way back, he breaks his leg in a life threatening accident and is saved by Jerry and the dogs – one in particular who risks her own life to help him. What’s more, a severe storm is approaching and when the team returns to the base, everyone is ordered to fly out. But there is no room on the plane for the dogs. Katie assures Jerry that she will come straight back for the dogs who are chained together before the plane takes off – but the deteriorating weather conditions put an end to that plan.

Determined to return to find his beloved dogs or at least to know their fate, Jerry tries to mount a rescue mission without much success, but he perseveres. Back in the endless icy whiteness, the dogs – most of whom have now freed themselves – try to survive. Each segment of their ordeal is preceded by a title that tells us how many “Days On Their Own” they have endured, and as the days multiply, these become more distressing. Their journey is not without its tragedy or its hazards – including a frightening confrontation with a monstrous and very angry sea lion – but how they work together as a team is remarkable.