Growing Up Wild (2016)

Growing Up Wild: Directed by Mark Linfield, Keith Scholey. With Daveed Diggs. Travel to the wildest corners of the planet as five courageous animals tackle the very first challenges of their young lives. With a little guidance from sage family members, each must figure out how to find food and recognize danger.

“While some DisneyNature documentaries are better than others, they are mostly very interesting and a common factor is that they are extremely well made. As well as having amazing animals. When it comes to the music and the narration (writing and delivery), those are the aspect where the quality is variable. Saw u0026#39;Growing Up Wildu0026#39; for DisneyNature documentary completest sake, as well as being a great fan of nature documentaries, Disney in general and the intimate approach to the storytelling.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eu0026#39;Growing Up Wildu0026#39; does have a couple of major drawbacks with the narration and pacing, among the worst DisneyNature documentaries at both. But on the other hand, in terms of emotional impact, charm and relatability u0026#39;Growing Up Wildu0026#39; is among the better DisneyNature documentaries in my view. So when ranking these documentaries it is somewhere around high middle. It is not quite as well known as other DisneyNature documentaries but does deserve to be better known.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eReally do have to agree with the narration bringing things down significantly. Not the actual writing, which was informative and had enough entertaining and sincere moments when it was not reminding us about what the animals were feeling. But more the delivery of it in how it is spoken, Daveed Diggs just doesnu0026#39;t sound right. This material needed a more authoritative, subtle and sympathetic approach, Diggs came over at times as somewhat sarcastic and condescended rather than engaged.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe pacing isnu0026#39;t always perfect, with some transitions lacking smoothness from the pacing being rushed and jumpy in spots. If there was a little less content those problems wouldnu0026#39;t be there.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eHave no complaints with everything else though. Like all the other DisneyNature documentaries, u0026#39;Growing Up Wildu0026#39; looks fantastic. Really appreciated the intimate approach to the photography, which made the more emotional scenes more powerful and made it even easier to relate to the baby animals and how they were feeling in difficult situations. The scenery is lovely as always while having an element of cruelty at times to show that nature is not just cute animals in beautiful environments. The music doesnu0026#39;t try to be too jaunty or too grandiose, really donu0026#39;t like it when any music in documentaries tries to be too playful, too contemporary or over-emphasises the emotions and u0026#39;Growing Up Wildu0026#39; just about avoided those things.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWhile having issues with Diggsu0026#39; delivery, the writing did inform and intrigue. Taking the subject seriously, without doing it too overtly. The footage and scenarios are fascinating to watch and there are plenty of charming and moving scenes, such as the lion cub calling and a particularly intimate and beautifully simple scene with the macaque. It is not just cute though as u0026#39;Growing Up Wildu0026#39; manages to not hold back on its portrayal of wildlife struggles, while not doing it in a too in your face or manipulative way and to me certainly not in a way that is too traumatising. The violence is uncompromising but didnu0026#39;t to me come over as too sadistic. It does disturb but it really makes one think too. The animals are adorable and very easy to root for, as are their very charming and poignant scenarios that have enough time devoted to each to not feel underdeveloped.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eSumming up, good but not great. So many fantastic things but do have to agree that a better narrator was needed. 7/10”