The film takes place deep in the forest of Africa where Oscar hasn't a care in the world. We watch as he spends his days playing; napping and wrestling with other young chimps while their parents try to rest (seem familiar?). Oscar and his mother Isha have a very human-like mother-child relationship. Oscar climbs all over her, hangs onto her and looks at her knowing that she is his whole world. The way that Isha holds Oscar, caresses his head when he naps on her and kisses him on the head when he cuddles up on her is breathtaking. In the film we also get to know Freddy, the leader of the band of chimps who, while fierce, turns out to have an incredible soft side that you never see coming.
Oscar’s life changes forever one day when a rival band of chimps attack his family. When Oscar thinks all is lost, an unlikely surrogate steps forward and gives Oscar something he had thought was lost to him forever.
Chimpanzee is a labor of love for directors Alastair Fothergill, Mark Linfield and their crew of filmmakers. In 2008, the crew made an attempt to film a band of chimps off the Ivory Coast, though finding a band that they could film was not easy. They were close to giving up when they came upon Freddy’s band of chimpanzees. The directors were able to team up with a local expert on chimpanzees who agreed to work with them if they agreed to stay at least 23 feet from the chimps and wear surgical masks to prevent disease from being transmitted to the animals.
The ultimate goal of the film is to draw attention to the plight of the chimpanzees and the threats they face in the wild. In 1960 there were a million chimpanzees in the world. Now there are just about 200,000 in the wild. Chimpanzees are in danger of becoming extinct in at least 10 different countries due to hunting, disease and loss of habitat. While leopards and lions sometimes attack chimpanzees, man continues to be the greatest threat to their survival.
Chimpanzee is narrated by Tim Allen who does an amazing job of breathing life into the chimps and makes us feel deeply connected to them. We even get some old school Home Improvement sounds during the narration, which is sure to bring a smile to the faces of the adults.
Disneynature has joined forces with the Jane Goodall Institute for a special program called “See Chimpanzee, Save Chimpanzees”. Disneynature will make a donation to the Jane Goodall Institute for every moviegoer during opening week (April 20-26, 2012).
Chimpanzee is a great family film. The amazing footage and the touching story is something that everyone should see. I was in awe of the footage and how close the filmmakers were able to get to the chimpanzees and the depth of emotion that they were able to capture. Disneynature has done an incredible job of creating a film that will move generations to action to save these amazing creatures. Once you see them so close and realize how much like us they are, you will want to be involved in saving chimpanzees also.
Chimpanzee opens nationwide April 20, 2012
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