Robert Redford narrates this visually spectacular nature doc from BBC Earth Films, the team responsible for ‘Earth’. The concept is simple: follow animals in their natural environment over the course of a day in their lives. As the sun rises in the Galapagos, iguanas attempt to dodge slithering snakes. Mid-morning in Botswana, a zebra foal wobbles over a river. Midday in Africa, giraffes have a nail-biting scrap. And the day has plenty more treasures in store.
Created by a 100-strong camera crew, it’s breathtaking to watch, although its meditative possibilities are limited thanks to Redford’s narration and an overbearing orchestral accompaniment. At points it’s action scene after action scene, each one scored like the cumulative moment in a Michael Bay film – this footage doesn’t need that to impress. Nor, adults might argue, does it need the comedy moments in which bears rub up against trees then let out farts.
Then again, this is a family-friendly film, and you can imagine kids lapping that stuff up. Tonally, it might feel a bit like a ’70s Disney movie, but visually, it’s absolutely up to the minute.