Africa: The Serengeti (1994) User Reviews

life finds a way

[lee_eisenberg · 7/10 · 18 March 2022]

Undeniably, the IMAX documentary "Africa: The Serengeti" (narrated by James Earl Jones) is an impressive achievement. It shows various animals' migration as the seasons change in east Africa, and the dangers that the assorted species face in their journeys.

Watching it, I wondered how things have changed since the documentary got filmed. Poaching is a major problem, and desertification has affected entire regions of the continent.

Whatever the case, this is one documentary that you won't forget any time soon. You can find it online.

Pretty good nature documentary

[Horst_In_Translation · 8/10 · 6 March 2016]

"Africa: The Serengeti" is another 40-minute documentary by 4-time Oscar nominee George Casey and even if this one here was not in contention for an Academy Award, I still found it a pretty good watch. It is fairly difficult to elaborate on such a diverse topic like the Serengeti in such a short film, but I believe Casey did a convincing job. He never goes too much into detail that it becomes uninteresting to audiences, but still teaches us a couple interesting facts. The narrator is James Earl Jones and he voiced this one fittingly the very same year he worked on "The Lion king", which is still his most known work over 20 years later. But this classic should not be the topic today. Lats talk a bit more about this great documentary we have here. Buffaloes, lions and crocodiles all get their fair amount if screen time in this one and occasionally, we also find out about the people living there in deepest Africa, the so-called Maasai and also about the climate, vegetation and a couple other subjects. This documentary can be a great watch to aspiring nature documentary makers, but also for those who just love the genre. Like myself. I highly recommend checking it out. Thumbs up for one of IMAX' finest.

The Serengeti in IMAX

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 2 May 2022]

Have seen several IMAX feature and short films recently. They have varied in quality, mostly good thankfully, especially in the music and music. With the visuals and the animals being consistently fantastic. It is not easy making something interesting about the Serengeti, and what has been seen of documentaries exploring it have been variable (a recent example being 'Serengeti', which left me mixed), but there have been documentaries that have explored subjects not done a lot and/ difficult to make compelling.

And 1994's 'Africa: The Serengeti' does laudably at this and mostly succeeds. It is not one of the best IMAX nature documentaries ever seen and is not exactly ground-breaking as a documentary, but it really is well worth watching and it is always a pleasure hearing the immortal James Earl Jones' voice in anything. Is it uneven? Yes it is, with some scenes being much weaker than others, but when it is good 'Africa: The Serengeti' is very good indeed.

Beginning with the good, it looks great and at its best stunning. The scenery is enough to take the breath away and the intimacy of the vibrant cinematography mostly worked very well. The animals look wonderful and are both adorable and mischievous, not to mention very easy to relate to in whatever circumstances they're in. Their story is where 'Africa: The Serengeti' is at its best, being entertaining and touching. Also with instances of the viewer being amazed at how their behaviour and situations are filmed.

The information for these scenes is informative and not too cute, juvenile or over-serious. While it is not innovative or quite comprehensive enough narration, the narration is well balanced in tone, isn't overused and is not over-explanatory. Along with the scenery, the best aspect is Jones in majesterial voice, his unmistakable voice booming beautifully and there is nothing phoned in in his delivery.

However, the human scenes are nowhere near as interesting, there could have been less of them and they were not really needed. Their parts lack depth and are not particularly educational, plus the backing and forthing disjoints the presentation.

Did think that the music could have been a lot more subtle, both in placement (where there is too much at points) and in volume (intrusive at times). The documentary did feel too short, wouldn't have said no to 10 minutes more and all of it animal footage.

Overall, good but not great. 7/10.

Drama that only real-life can provide

[The_Film_Cricket · 14 January 2014]

The animals living in the wilds of Africa have an order, a schedule and a system of natural law by which that spend their entire lives. Deviate from them and you're dead. That is the central idea presented by 'Africa: The Serengeti' a spectacular and sometimes breathtaking IMAX feature created by George Casey who also directed the stunning 'Ring of Fire'.

We learn that there is order in nature by which the lioness kills for food then gives the carcass to the male. The male has his share then the lioness and the cubs, then the smaller predators on down to the vultures. This is a system and a way of life.

Early on we meet the Wildebeests who will become the focal point of Casey's film. They are cattle who seem to serve the basic functions of their own survival but from the film's point of view they are also a major source of food for lions if they aren't careful. In one tense moment we see a herd walking cautiously past a den of lions waiting in the bush for their moment of attack. That's just one of the many stunning moments that Casey was able to capture. There is a heartbreaking scene in which the wildebeest heard attempts to climb some slippery rocks to evade alligators. Some become too exhausted to carry on and will eventually become food.

Sometimes we feel like interlopers especially in the mating scenes in which the male lion almost seems boorish, this followed by an extreme close-up of the two blissful lions sleeping in the sun. But it also offers some images that aren't so easy to take like vultures picking the bones of a wildebeest to which narrator James Earl Jones offers 'In nature, nothing is wasted'. We get a stomach-churning glimpse of the cheetah as it hunts down a wildebeest and rips it apart.

To say that the photography of 'Africa: The Serengeti' is breathtaking is an understatement but the central theme of the film is that the order of the wild happens because out there it's survival of the fittest. Even the infants are at risk if they don't pull their weight.

Because it is a documentary and subsequently a mirror of life we don't know what to predict. After having seen the wildebeests give birth we are told the if they don't get up and walk then the heard will abandon them. Sure enough one had trouble and the heard moves on. We fear for its life because we know that it can't possibly survive. In one surprisingly emotional moment the young cow springs to its feet and catches up with the family, the kind of stirring moment that only real life can provide.

*** (of four)

It's okay... nothing special

[Zorro-3 · 6/10 · 27 February 2005]

Like any nature-log you might see on Animal Planet. But bigger.

The photography is stunning, but somehow I left the theater thinking that they could have made a much more exciting film. Despite the killing scenes, it overall had a serene feel.

And what was up with the balloon people and the tribesmen? Quite tangential and not really belonging with the animal stuff. There wasn't even really much of a connection. At not least one that we saw depicted.

I think films like this are a waste of the IMAX medium. I would never knock natural beauty, but why do you need IMAX for that? For REALLY BIG natural beauty? No, the wonderful thing about IMAX is the ability to make you feel like you're there. So SCARE me! Put my heart in my mouth! To see the medium utilized to the fullest, see "NASCAR 3-D."

Amazing video, audio quality

[spolina · 10/10 · 7 October 2001]

This IMAX movie is a very interesting documentary. If you have big screen TV or digital TV, this is the one DVD you should own to enjoy stunning video quality. It also has great Dolby Digital Sound and will max out the Home Theater System to the fullest.

I-Max at its Best,"Africa:The Serengeti"

[nelliebell-1 · 9/10 · 15 October 2004]

There are more than one element that makes this film a first rate movie going experience.The only actor assigned is James Earl Jones as Narrator.His gift of speech is excellent with a presentation that allows the viewer to participate in a wider,deeper plain than just the Serengeti,however it is indeed the Serengeti where all of time passes and we are blessed with an attempt to show life as everlasting,such is the contribution of the Narrator Voice and its place in the viewing of this very well made I-Max presentation.The visual aspect is not entirely subtle,it is more like, very up front with an important condition and that condition is in the telling of this very dramatic story.It is not so simple a thing to allow the reader to know what is actually required but as is pointed out in the narration there is no remorse when a predator(Cheetah) runs down a Gazelle(very young one)and provides for its own(of which there are only 1 left of 4 born to this Cheetah)It is very strong with an accent of survival merely by numbers and perhaps a little bit of luck.The fittest does not seem to fit as the wildebeest it is suggested was formed by committee from spare parts,A very intelligent presentation with much more to come.The migration of the large size herds is undaunted and though it is absolutely riveting it is murderous with these almost dumb like animals literally trampling each other to death.It is quite something to view as this event unfolds across the plains of the Serengeti.This migration if you will occurs every year with the onset of the rains in the North to the Southern extremes ,encompassing the Kenyan and Tanzanian plains .This is very much both excellent story telling and a documentary as well.The short history and timeless quality presented provide a survey that underpins the journey of the wildebeest and it is even a little bit much to take when it is suggested that herbivores eat grass and vegetation while carnivores eat herbivores.What is a bit much, there does not seem to be a element of fitness in there survival but of the sheer weight of numbers that allow for the species to survive. The predators seem only to choose there time for there chance as those same numbers go running by your front door by the thousands in this historical and timeless journey across the plains of Africa.This by itself will very much keep your attention,however it is not the only element that this film possesses which provide for a worthwhile movie going experience.There is both choral and vocal composition which accompany the film and may almost catch you off guard as to its place in the telling of the story,it is very good.This is a no holds barred idea of life and death that is presented in a timeless quality that can get to you with a wow.The best part and perhaps the reason why this film was seen by me was the I-Max format.It is in fact a WOW!The film opens and the plains of the Serengeti are almost below you as well as thousands of running Wildebeests.This film from the beginning is a credit to the storytelling ability that the I-Max format provides for,wide beautiful vistas stretching the limits of our movie going experience almost to witness a miracle (though we suggest it is nature)in the migration of the African wildebeest.This is a very good movie.It is worthwhile a purchase and even in a humbled presentation will stand if you will the test of time.I know I just viewed it on my computer.I have had the pleasure of attending a few I-Max shows and it would seem that not every presentation works as well as every other presentation.There was also the stories and that to seemed not always to work either,however there were exceptions and one which I compare with Africa:The Serengeti and that is T-Rex:Back To The Cretaceous.There are many ways to present a dramatic story and though Africa:The Serengeti is an example of one such way, T-Rex:Back To The Cretaceous tells a tale with mind you the same kind of unfolding history but it does it with subtlety and the development of a story within a story.It too, to me represents an all around presentation in the I-Max format that is worthy of this entertainment vehicle that we know as I-Max.Both films are excellent and both are very highly recommended.

Almost perfect

[sam_nas · 6 March 2003]

This is a great documentary with some amazing footage of wild animals. My only complaint is that they showed humans, that ruined it for me. They showed about 5 minutes of africans in the serengeti and how they live, also they showed a little bit of visitors in hot air baloons. IMO, I would have rathered that they kept it only about the wild animals, we see humans every day and it's too bad that they included some here. So without this, I would have given it a 10/10. But since there are humans, I give it 8/10. But a big two thumbs up to IMAZ, this is great stuff!