Wow. I don’t think I have been able to wipe the smile off my face since my Tuesday evening screening of Disneynature’s latest documentary, Monkey Kingdom. I have loved all of the movies in the nature series, but this is my favorite BY FAR.
The story is compelling and surely one parents, children, and nature lovers will enjoy.
ABOUT THE FILM
Narrated by the ever-so-funny Tina Fey, the plot follows Maya, a clever blonde-bobbed toque macaque monkey whose world is forever changed when she welcomes her son, Kip, into her complicated family. Like all families {human and otherwise!}, Maya’s has plenty of colorful personalities, but she is determined to give her son the best life possible. When their home is taken over by neighboring monkeys, Maya’s family is forced to relocate. Thanks to her street smarts, they make the best of it and come out on top.
This film is stunning to watch. From sweeping views of the jungle in Sri Lanka, to seeing all kinds of other creatures including a monitor lizard and some darn cute sloth bears, it will educate everyone who watches.
Personally, what I loved most about it was seeing the endearing mother-baby bond. There’s just no denying it — all mamas love their babies — no matter the species. Seeing how Maya fiercely protected Kip was nothing short of amazing, and definitely brought tears to my eyes a few times. Nature is simply amazing!
AGE RECOMMENDATION
Because this is a documentary-style film {with a ton of humor}, I would recommend this film for ages 4 and up. My 4.5 year old, Kinley, LOVED it. Honestly, the fact that she barely even ate her popcorn throughout is a solid testament – she couldn’t keep her eyes off the screen! With that said, she definitely didn’t get some of the humor sprinkled throughout, but that’s OK. Definitely worth taking curious kids. I do think my 2.5 year old would have liked it as well, but I’m not sure if she would’ve sat still the entire time.
Best of all, I loved the conversations it elicited between Kinley and I, from questions about the circle of life, what it means to be a predator, how animals and humans handle death {there are a few scenes with deceased monkeys, but they are approached gracefully for sensitive children}, and how alike we are to different species of animals, especially monkeys. On the drive home, Kinley kept mentioning how cute the babies were and was especially taken with the fact that monkeys nurse their babies and ‘babywear’ just like humans.
SHOULD YOU SEE IT?
YES. I would absolutely recommend this film to ANYONE, but especially to parents with kids who are fascinated with nature. The story is told in such an entertaining manner that it will keep you engaged, and even teach you a few things. i.e. Did you know monkeys can swim? I didn’t!
Entertaining + educational = a big win in my book!
See the film opening week {April 17-23} and Disneynature will make a donation in your honor to Conservation International to help protect monkeys and other endangered species in their natural habitats. Learn more at nature.disney.com/
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Do you plan to see Monkey Kingdom? Hope you love it as much as we did!
I thought it was cute as well. Great review!
Thanks so much, Liz. I can’t wait for the next film in this series. It just tugs at my documentary loving heartstrings 😉