African Cats (2010) User Reviews

Circle of life

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 30 November 2020]

Love Disney and while some of their nature documentaries are better than others, their DisneyNature documentaries are worth a look at least. 'African Cats' intrigued me straightaway, being somebody that has always been fascinated by how lions and other big cats are depicted in documentaries and who loves documentaries. It was interesting to see a different approach to stories about lions after being very affected watching 2011's 'The Last Lions' a week ago.

'African Cats' is on the most part a winner for Disney and DisneyNature. As far as their documentaries go, it is towards being one of their better ones due to the visuals and how investable the storytelling was. For anybody that doesn't like animals humanised too much, more focus on family drama and likes subtle narration, they may want to look elsewhere. But for a documentary film that makes any story of any big cat accessible for the whole family, judging without any comparison and on what it is aiming to do and the target audience, 'African Cats' more than fits the bill.

Do agree that sometimes the narration does tend to over-explain, the film would have benefitted more from more show and less tell, and while Samuel L Jackson actually does fine on delivering it there is a try too hard feel to some of his delivery.

However, there is so much to recommend with 'African Cats'. When it comes to DisneyNature documentaries, 'African Cats' has to be up there with the best looking. At its very best, the photography is just jaw-dropping in its beauty. The scenery is both stunningly beautiful and suitably unforgiving. The music is both stirring and poignant-sounding, and it didn't come over as intrusive or trying to be too cinematic.

While the narration was not perfect in writing or delivery, it at least for me entertained and interested me (even if there are many documentaries that are a good deal more illuminating in information) and Jackson clearly puts a lot of passion in his delivery. There is more of a dramatic story of the situations the lions and cheetahs have to undergo than there is documentary, but that didn't matter to me because the storytelling was genuinely moving and heart-warming without being manipulative or over-dramatised. While the approach is not the pull no punches one that 'The Last Lions' had, it doesn't get too over-cute.

It helps too that the lions and cheetahs look wonderful and are so identifiable in very human situations. The interactions are immensely charming with some appropriate tension.

Concluding, very well done. 8/10

Visually excellent

[milbankj · 6/10 · 29 January 2014]

I'm not a Disneyphobe (nor am I a Disneyphile) but this needed its very fine cinematography to lift its rating and keep me watching. Undoubtedly, the script and narration will go down well with followers of the genre, as will the genteel treatment of the cruel realities of life and death in the wild, such as an absence of gore. This is not a criticism, just an observation. It is Disney, after all, and that's all. As a many-times observer in the flesh of real-life African wildlife action, I was glued to this only by its visuals. Apart from the unreal lack of blood, they were among the best I've seen in documentaries depicting the lives of big cats, and it was a relief not to have a narrator putting his face in front of the camera at every opportunity. Oh, and I have no problem with anthropomorphic descriptions of wild animals. I've seen big cats in the wild showing the same basic emotions as humans...affection between relatives and allies, anger and fear towards enemies, and so on: a lioness staring with what can only be described as great anger; fear in a lion's face before it turned and fled from humans on foot it had detected in the distance; pain in the eyes of an injured lion, beaten in a fight.

More than you expect!

[hpoirot88 · 6/10 · 28 April 2011]

We often think of African wildlife documentaries as being dry, reiterated, or just clips of either cute baby animals or slow motion shots of the predator striking at it's prey. All under the dry narration of Sir David Attenborough or someone trying to sound like him. This is different.

The theme of "African Cats" is one of a mother's love, the setting is on a stretch of Kenya divided by a great river where on one side we are shown a lioness and her cubs as members of the ruling pride, on the other a mother cheetah and her cubs as she attempts to raise her young as a single mother. Each situation has it's benefits and it's disadvantages.

All of this wonderful story telling occurs amidst the beautiful scenery of Africa and all under the perfect narration of Samuel L. Jackson whose voice matches the inflection and emotion of every scene reminiscent of the work of the late John Facenda of NFL Films.

The movie does not try to out-do its predecessors and be more than it is, it stays to it's story and it's themes and makes for a wonderful film for anyone. From the kid who loves animals, to the casual film goer who enjoys a good story. 6 out of 10, check it out.

Cats Conquer

[Chrysanthepop · 6 November 2011]

Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey bring a charming little documentary set in the Kenyan Savannah. The film has been edited tightly to tell a coherent story and add a more dramatic feel. What sets it apart from watching a documentary on Animal Planet or Discovery Channel is that the viewer does not get the feel that he/she is watching a documentary. It feels like watching a feature film where the lionesses and the cheetahs are the protagonists. It is beautifully shot with stunning cinematography and a brilliant soundtrack with the exception of the Jordinn Sparks track that takes place during the closing credits. But watch the closing credits as it's hilarious seeing how the animals have been credited. Samuel L. Jackson's husky voice excellently narrates the story. It centers around Sita the cheetah and her cubs and Laila the lioness and her daughter Mara. And the presentation of the 'characters' are very well done as the viewer can easily relate to them and root for them. The elements of adventure, suspense and even comedy are brilliantly balanced in this wildlife tale. Given that the title is 'African Cats', I missed seeing the leopard. But anyway, 'African Cats' is overall refreshing, entertaining and heartwarming and a nice reminder of why some of us love animals.

Enthralling

[OmegaWolf747 · 10/10 · 23 April 2011]

I just returned from seeing this movie today. The struggle for survival of two lion prides a cheetah family are beautifully brought to the big screen with masterful narration by Samuel L. Jackson. The cinematography and soundtrack are spectacular.

Mara, a young lioness must struggle to survive after the death of her mother and be accepted into the pride. Sita, a mother cheetah, struggles to raise five cubs in a land populated by deadly hyenas. Kali, a powerful lion, and his three grown sons seek to take over Mara's pride.

The movie is realistic, but not so bloody that anyone but the most sensitive among us should be offended.

I will definitely be adding this one to my DVD collection.

Breathtaking and gorgeous.

[planktonrules · 10/10 · 4 January 2020]

"African Cats", despite its name is NOT about all African cats. Instead of showing cats like leopards and servals, the film focuses exclusively on a pride of lions and a mother cheetah raising their young in the Masai Mara region of Kenya.

So why did I give this one a 10? Well, because it is among the most perfect nature documentaries you can find. The narration (by Samuel L. Jackson) is intelligently written and informative. But the real stars are the cinematographers...who get some of the best nature footage you could ever see. In many ways, it feels like you've been transported to the plains with these creatures....and the gorgeous music work together with the footage to produce an amazing film.

By the way, although the animals make some kills in the films and the animals occasionally fight, the film is pretty easy to watch and the most gruesome footage hasn't been included in the movie. So, the tender of heart can relax and enjoy.

compelling animal stories

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 22 March 2015]

Disney is going the docudrama route. Layla is the oldest lioness raising her cub Mara with Fang the leader of the River Pride. They are protected by the crocodile infested river from the pride to the north ruled by Kali and his four sons. Also Sita the cheetah is raising her five small cubs.

Samuel L. Jackson is narrating the American version. Quite frankly, he's trying too hard to dramatize what is already very dramatic. The footage and the writing is plenty good enough. I miss the British voice narration which usually gives these nature documentaries the needed gravitas. The score is another problem. It's again overly dramatic. It keeps overshadowing what are very compelling animal stories.

Technically brilliant; the narration is overdone.

[PWNYCNY · 9/10 · 14 May 2011]

African cats are as dangerous as they are majestic, and one runs the risk of forgetting that when watching this documentary. Cheetahs, lions, and hyenas are lethal killing machines, that is how they live, that is their role in nature. The pictures speak for themselves; narration may not even be necessary. Watching a lion chase down a gazelle or a cheetah face down a lion requires no commentary. This is life or death. Here the narration becomes a distraction. The animals are not acting for the audience's amusement. They are doing what animals do to survive. Do lions have a sense of family? Who knows. But one thing is for certain: this documentary provides a spectacular glimpse of the brute strength and incredible agility of these creatures. Technically, this documentary is superb. But anthropomorphizing these animals for dramatic effect really trivializes what the documentary is showing. These animals are not cuddly playthings; they can and do kill, which is an aspect of their nature that cannot be played down.

Its hard to hate on some cute cats

[estebangonzalez10 · 6/10 · 3 May 2011]

¨The hunters became the hunted.¨ It's hard not to like a movie with lion and cheetah cubs running around in their natural habitat, and learning alongside their loving mothers how to survive in the dangerous environment of the Kenyan savanna. Disney Nature brings us a new wildlife documentary after the successful Earth which debuted in 2007. Alastair Fothergill is the director once again although this time he has a collaborator: Keith Scholey and the focus is primarily set on the wild cats. The film is beautifully shot and each scene is breathtaking. For those of us who can't afford a safari to Africa, this is as close as we will get to these wild animals running around freely without bars to hold them back. It was fascinating and animal lovers will especially enjoy this, but it wasn't anything I couldn't watch on the National Geographic channel. Experiencing these majestic kings on the big screen is a plus however and I enjoyed my 80 minute safari across the African savanna. It would be too harsh and mean spirited to give this film a negative review because the cubs are just really cute.

Samuel L. Jackson is on board as the narrator of the film as he tells us the story of two separate families of cats and their struggle for survival. These animals are even given names and the shots are edited in order to create a story. On one hand we have a mother lioness that is protecting her cub, Mara, from a pride of lions from the North. Fang is the pride leader in the South, but he is being threatened by the leader on the other side who wants to expand his kingdom along with his now adult sons. A river infested with crocodiles divides the savanna so crossing from one side to the other is no easy task, however the risk is eminent. At the same time we have an interchanging parallel story as we follow Sita, a single mother of five cheetah cubs. She also is teaching her cubs how to survive in the wild, while at the same time protecting them from hyenas and other wild animals.

The story does feel forced at some points, but at least it adds a little dramatic effect to the picture. We get to experience a lot of hunts and chases, but the death scenes are cut off right away. The film is worth a watch due to the incredible footage as we get to experience the adventures of wildlife. I wouldn't sit through this film a second time and I probably would have found something similar on the National Geographic, Animal Planet or Discovery channels, but I just can't give this documentary a negative review.

http://estebueno10.blogspot.com/

Fascinating and beautiful!

[paulclaassen · 10/10 · 24 June 2018]

This documentary was funny, dramatic, action-packed and suspenseful, and quite honestly one of the most fascinating and beautiful documentaries I've ever had the pleasure of watching. Stunningly shot in high definition, this is definitely best viewed on Blu Ray. Be sure to watch the end credits, as well - its hilarious!

Entertaining feel good documentary

[kmanko · 7/10 · 26 April 2011]

This is the type of documentary that one can expect coming for Disney. There were some elements of drama, but was mainly one to try to make you say 'aww.' I personally felt like Sam Jackson overacted the narration. The animals, however, were extremely cute. Everyone in the audience seemed to have a wonderful time and enjoyed themselves. Overall, I feel that this documentary does not even compare to 'The Last Lions' that was released in February. The Last Lions did everything right. They used Jeremy Irons (the voice of Uncle Scar) to narrate and actually brought light to the fact that African cats, lions in particular, are headed toward extinction. Also, The Last Lions was much more dramatic and engaging.

Real wildlife

[jpnitey · 8/10 · 22 April 2011]

This was (in my humble opinion), one of the better "wildlife movies" I have seen. Sure, there were not too many scenes of carnage but neither was the footage sanitized to that with what we are traditionally used to with Disney. A pretty good narration by Jackson and brilliant cinematography results in a rather good portrayal of life and death in central Africa.

If there is a little anthropomorphism so what? The overall cinematography was a great compliment to the music and I would think anyone leaving the theatre would admit to almost smelling the Masai Mara in all of its majesty. John P Nightingale

A Disney Documentary in every sense of the phrase

[Tender-Flesh · 6/10 · 22 April 2011]

A very average documentary. If you love big cats, then you like this. The basic plot is that the film makers followed a pride of lions and a lone cheetah mother with her new cubs. Eventually, the two groups meet, briefly. There is nothing new to this film. If you've seen any number of NatGeo or Animal Planet documentaries on big cats or the African plains, then you've seen all this before and more(we'll get to that)

The pros: Great cinematography, great sound, adequate soundtrack, plenty of great close-ups, and even a set of villains.

The cons: Although Samuel L. Jackson is the only true African Cat, I felt he was wrong for the narration. I don't have a decent alternative in mind; Morgan Freeman would be overkill. Sam didn't do a bad job overall, I just felt he was wrong for this part. I kept expecting the lead villain, Kali the lion, to invoke Jules from Pulp Fiction and strike the savanna down with furious anger. Also, what sets cable documentaries apart from this film is the true circle of life--something Disney should know something about since they gave us the Lion King. On TV, you will see plenty of after-the-hunt carnage. There are only a handful of kill scenes in the movie, most off-screen, one even conveniently hidden behind a mound of earth. Sorry if you are easily offended by real life, but if you want a good documentary about top-line predators, you better show why they are the kings and queens of Africa. I'd have much preferred to see the courtship rituals of the animals, the awesomeness of lions mating, and seeing the cubs born. You get a lot of lion roaring, running, and plenty of shots of lion testicles.

Overall, to see a documentary like this on the big screen is a nice change; you really do see it all and it's cool and impressive as far as the animals go. But don't expect it to be great. Disney sanitized the film to take anything potentially offensive out, except for the above mentioned lion nards.

The theater was packed on an afternoon showing. I didn't think of this as a kid's movie, but the SUV-driving chumps(way to celebrate Earth Day, guzzlers) had to drag them into the theater, with "awwwwws" at every turn for all the close-up shots of the cubs. Very annoying. Don't see this opening weekend if you plan to enjoy it. Go on a Tuesday at noon. Chances are you'll have the theater mostly free of rug rats running all over.

BBC already did it... and it was better.

[lexasdel · 5/10 · 9 July 2011]

Simple...

This is well produced (if over narrated), has some good scenes and an interesting story.

However, if you have ever seen any wildlife documentary funded by the BBC/Attenborough (the brother from the old guy in Jurassic park), then there is little for you in this movie.

There is no new information for us; just a completely average, middle of the road Disney-produced Big Cat documentary with a Samuel L Jackson narrative.

Good if you've never watched anything similar, average if you have.

If you love big cats, then you will love this one!

[bettycjung · 1 March 2018]

2/28/18. With great cinematography this animal documentary follows the lives of two big cat families. An aging lion, Fang, eventually must face up to Kali and his 4 sons (ok, it's no contest), and Sita, a female cheetah with 5 cubs must bravely survive the dangers of the jungle. Great movie, and worth catching with kids of all ages!

An okay film

[trey-yancy-572-763547 · 8/10 · 8 May 2020]

This is a good documentary overall, but Samuel Jackson's narration is a bit too distinctive and dramatic, in that what one hears is not a narration but Samuel Jackson.

African Cats Review

[Dfschohr-532-549658 · 8/10 · 17 November 2013]

In 2009 Disney Nature brought us "Earth" which is absolutely amazing but we had seen it before with the television series "Planet Earth", and if it feels familiar, its because they are from the same British producer, and director. Then a year later we get "Oceans", which is personally better than "Earth", and follows life under the sea, and crams in the underlying tone of needing to respect nature, because of the human qualities they share with us. Now in 2011, we get African Cats which is so far the best of the Disney Nature films.

Keith Scholey, and Alastair Fothergilland have made a documentary that children, and adults will love. The film follows three stories in the Maasai Mara National Reserve. A younger cub named Mara, and her aging lioness mother Layla. Fang, the leader of the pride, who must protect his family from Kali, and his adult sons who want dominance over the land, and Sita, a cheetah mother who has the difficulty of raising five newborns all by herself in the tough African Savannah.

The storytelling has been done to almost perfection, The first fifty minutes was undoubtedly the most compelling footage of the film, and is where the documentary flourished. Another great thing was that it let us clearly see the view of each animal it followed. Layla wants nothing more than to protect her cub Mara, Fang wants to remain king of the land, but seems a little to cowardly to do so, Kali wants to dethrone Fang and take over of his land, and Sita's mission is to train/protect her babies to become the best predators they can be. Where the film failed, was the choice of repeating a lot of the same tribal songs, during that last half- hour which made it drag a little. But overall this is a fulfilling, intriguing, and heart-felt documentary. I give it an 8 out of 10.

Side note: While sitting in the theater a trailer came on that stars a young red head girl and Heather Graham, called "Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer". The trailer did not describe what the film was about, but it is most definitely was a children's movie, and it looked like you would be catastrophically dumber after watching it. So if your gonna take your kid to see a movie anytime soon, make it African Cats, and not Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2, or Hop.

Great knowledge of Jungle throughout the movie

[rajboy · 7/10 · 2 July 2014]

This movie contains the perfect materials of the Jungle of Africa have and the living strategy of African Cats (Cheetah & Lion) been shown throughout the entire movie. The film follows them as they raise and protect their young cubs from others ferocious and vicious animals. One can find necessary knowledge about African animals by watching this movie. As the movie based on true characters the movie is more enjoyable to watch and understand. Its my first Nature documentary movie i watched and i thoroughly enjoyed. The real time camera footage is so good to watch. By making a nature documentary movie, a great Job is done by the entire cast and crew of African Cats.

So Good I Cried

[christophershobris · 8/10 · 4 September 2013]

This is a very underestimated masterpiece that should deserve more praise by people in general. It is not your typical nature show. Because unlike nature shows this one has a story, and characters. And what did I think of it personally? Well, I will admit that I cried in this. It is really well made, and is heartwarming as well. Everyone who likes big cats and nature in general then this is for you. And I'm a big cat lover myself, so that helped me enjoy this more then if I didn't. I advise you to check this out. You shall not be disappointed. Also, the narrator in this is really good, he isn't boring and flat-voiced. He helps make the movie even better with his ability to express his words, make them appealing, and still sound professionally. You will be surprised at how much this entertains you. I also think that this film is a great way to spread the word about the population issues with these animals, and that they are amazing, and they should be saved from extinction. Because these animal's populations are low.

Sort of interesting, but where were the cats?

[charlytully · 7/10 · 30 April 2011]

This film revolves around a kind of double jointed cheetah and a lioness Samuel L. Jackson keeps reminding us is on her last legs. Unlike a movie featuring mere humans, whenever a key animal is said to have passed away, the kicking of the bucket occurs off-screen. Though BAMBI may have been more graphic in terms of general mayhem in the animal kingdom, the hyenas here--with their sinister snickering--are just as sadistically menacing as those featured in Disney's earlier foray into post-colonial Africa, THE LION KING. However, the scariest thing about AFR!CAN CATS is the beat-up male harem master Fang, named in an apparently misguided stab at irony, since this feline is distinguished by a dangling incisor that would give even a veterinary dentist the creeps.

Speaking of cats, my aunt used to raise African violets in her basement, and they were itty bitty things. My sister still raises North American cats in her garage, and though they are bigger than African violets, they are NOT the size of subcompact cars. I went to this movie partly to see what the house cats look like that Africans keep as pets. Unfortunately, there were NO cats in this flick--or even houses, for that matter. It was as if this movie was made on the fifth day of Genesis, or something. Memo to Disney: do NOT title a movie 101 DALMATIANS, unless you plan to let some dogs out.

Beautiful Nature Documentary

[brenttraft · 10/10 · 5 October 2011]

I watch a lot of nature documentaries and the ones by BBC Nature have set the bar very high. "African Cats" by Disney Nature is the first film that has equaled or exceeded BBC Nature in quality.

The picture quality is absolutely stunning! They must be using the highest quality cameras and lenses. The editing and music are all top quality. Some people might object to the dramatic narration by Samuel L. Jackson but I liked it.

Of course the real stars here are the lions and cheetahs. The film does a really good job of showing how they interact with each other socially. While some people might accuse the film of being anthropomorphic, I felt it did an honest job of showing their social hierarchy.

If you are a fan of nature documentaries, you can't miss "African Cats."

Cat people

[kosmasp · 6/10 · 9 June 2012]

A documentary about African cats narrated by Samuell L. Jackson. While you might have expected Morgan Freeman to do another voice over job, Sam does a really good job narrating this "dramatized" version of things that happen. Of course you could argue, if the filmmakers could (and should) have interfered at some points of the story. I guess this will be subject of a featurette or two on the DVD/Blu Ray of this film. You shouldn't have those thoughts watching this though.

The "characters" get introduced pretty neatly and the "story" might end up in a place you didn't expect it to go. One thing is for sure: This will be a feast for the animal lovers (if you'll excuse the pun).

fabulous visuals and moving drama

[patrick-free · 10/10 · 27 October 2012]

Nowhere have I ever seen a more dramatic and well balanced nature film. The depth and closeness into these animals lives and the moving narrative are unmatched IMO. I have read some of the negative reviews and frankly am stunned how anyone could come away from this beautiful film with anything less than a wonderful experience. the camera shots, the true 'story' ( as created by the animals), the music, the narration, all superb. this is as close to 'the lion king', all true to life, as you will ever see. these moments and bonds between the animals, the instincts, the scenes, it's truly amazing.

one reviewer listed in IMDb's 'critics' closed with 'i would rather see the avengers', to which i say - there are just different types of people in this world, can't make a fish like land.

i love nature shows, and the footage in some of the 'blockbuster' nature films (blue planet, earth, etc) is spectacular, and i love them too, but nowhere have I ever seen animals 'story' done so rich and true as this. to all who made this film - bravo, bravo!

Can we educate kids with more accuracy

[angie0912 · 6/10 · 6 March 2023]

I love the cinematic stuff in this show. The quality of pictures is amazing. However, can we make sure we are not giving false information to the audience especially this is from Disney and the major audiences are kids? Two things I noticed: 1) male lion Kali and his sons controls the other side of river. Male lions often form coalitions but they don't do this with their sons. 2) when three male cheetahs came close to Sita's cubs, the narrator says male cheetah could attack the cubs. This is not true, male cheetahs are not like lions and they don't kill cubs. I understand rare things could happen but let's just not use these rare things to make the show more dramatic and giving out false information.

Amazing - Good or bad?

[Angel_Peter · 2/10 · 4 January 2015]

well I have to admit that there is is some nice visuals in the movie. so if you just go for pretty pictures it is a great movie for you.

What I was amazed about what the educational level of this movie. If I should rank it It would be like this: BBC documentaries the King of the animal world filled with information. After that Discovery/Animal planet where you get very little information in about 45 minutes I would guess. This Movie In 90 minutes you get so insultingly little knowledge that I would be ashamed to show it to a 8 year old kid for gaining any knowledge at all.

This movie focus on predators and do not show the killing or how they feed. It does not even explain anything about how lion pride works, how they feed, how they really hunt.

Had I paid to see this I would have been furious. So find a BBC or even Discovery show instead if you want a bit of knowledge.

If you want pictures of nice cuddly teddy animals without getting disturbed by lifes cruel realities then this is the show for you.