Review: "Sea Lions of the Galapagos" is a Return to Form for Disneynature
Leo, the sea lion pup who we follow during the 90 minute runtime of Disneynature’s newest film Sea Lions of the Galapagos, might be the cutest creature ever captured on film. As we watch him learn to walk on the sand and swim through the oceans, discovering this new world he calls home, one can’t help but scream about Leo’s cuteness. It’s remarkable we aren’t putting baby sea lions in all forms of media: movies, TV shows, preschool books, how-to-build furniture tutorials on YouTube, etc.
Disneynature has always worked three key factors to create their films:
1) Cute animals
2) Engaging narration
3) Intriguing premise
In the case of some recent films from the documentary branch, they have failed on one (Polar Bears’ first-person narration was a wackadoo choice) or all of the above factors. (Penguins including a romantic subplot punctuated by 1980s rock ballads was a choice, albeit the wrong one.) Luckily for Disneynature fans, Sea Lions of the Galapagos is a standout from the studio.
Off the coast of Ecuador amidst the ever-expanding Galapagos Islands, we follow Leo, an aforementioned sea lion pup who is figuring out how to exist. Quickly, we learn that life alongside his mother Luna isn’t a long term solution, as the “beach master" seal kicks him off the island, and thus, from his mother. From there we follow Leo’s hunt to find a new place to call home, all the while continuing to work on his sea lion skills.
Of course, with a bad narrator, following this interesting creature’s fight for stability could be deemed dull. To be completely honest, I don’t remember much from Elephant or Dolphin Reef due to the narrations. When Bredan Fraser was announced to take the helm for this film, I was trepidatious. Much to my surprise, he is the perfect choice. He works effortlessly to bridge the more comedic, family-friendly moments with the educational, fact-based information. Most Disneynature narrators tend to get stuck on one side or the other, never able to balance both necessary demeanors, but Fraser excels. With every sentence uttered, you can feel his warmth for the story and for the wide open world we call home.
The cinematography, as we have come to expect from these films, is tremendous. From the explosive look at an active volcano eruption to the underwater shots of a group of sea lions “exfoliating" themselves on the ocean floor, every shot is created with the utmost of care. It’s hard to watch and not be floored by the effort that went into producing this documentary and the painstaking hours that were spent working to feature the sea lions and their habitat without interfering with the pristine nature around them. A true feat.
Gratefully, the story never becomes hokey. While there are light moments of comedy, this is the purest form of a nature documentary: following the trajectory of an animal as they grow, learn, and survive. All the while, we as viewers get the pleasure of witnessing the story of a creature’s life through majestic landscapes and some shots that will take your breath away.
Disneynature has always been one of, if not the, favorite branch of The Walt Disney Company for me. When Earth first debuted in theaters in 2009, my mother and I raced to the theater and began an Earth Day tradition. Every year, we journeyed to the local movie theater to check out a new look at fascinating creatures that cover the globe. Unfortunately, the studio has released films in recent memory to diminishing returns. Maybe it was due to the acquisition of National Geographic, but nothing was hitting the heights of Bears or Chimpanzee.
What a thrill it is to share that Sea Lions of the Galapagos returns to Disneynature’s original successes. Paired with a moving score and an infectiously inquisitive narration, this is the perfect film to inspire anyone this Earth Day to reckon with their own consumption and work to create the world a better, cleaner place. We do share a planet with Leo, after all.
Sea Lions of the Galapagos is now streaming on Disney+.