Monkey Kingdom

Mark Linfield & Alastair Fothergill – 2015 – USA

I don’t know if it’s nostalgia that sets in or something else, but I always approach these Disney nature films with high hopes.  The idea of a live-action feature that’s all about animals and doesn’t have any people in it still seems rare and bold somehow.  I like the fact that, if nothing else, it may encourage kids to be interested in science and more serious things instead of simply spoon-feeding them loud, garish entertainment.  Nevertheless, I’m disappointed almost every time, and Monkey Kingdom is no exception.  Yes, the locale, photography and subjects are all exquisite and fascinating.  But why can’t Disney have a little faith in the material and let it speak for itself?  Instead, we have comic commentary read by Tina Fey that intrudes on every scene and is so strenuously energized and fake that it’s almost nauseating.  The mistake so many of these nature documentaries make is their assumption that the “plots” will only be engaging to kids if the animals are portrayed with human thoughts and everything is slathered with syrupy, cheery music and narration.  The film tells the story of a group of toque macaque monkeys in Sri Lanka, specifically a mother and son who are navigating their way through the social hierarchy.  The whole process of manufacturing drama and implying emotions by attempting to read animals’ minds is inherently dishonest and shouldn’t be encouraged.  Science is learning how the natural world works; not twisting it into cute stories for a pre-teen audience.