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Not quite as good as WINGED MIGRATION, but definitely in the same ballpark. Morgan Freeman narrates his French documentary about the arduous habits of the emperor penguin.

Living in Antarctica, in the harshest environment on Earth, these penguins endure unthinkable torment in the march to procreate. The flightless birds begin their mating ritual by walking (and sometimes sliding) 70 miles to an area where they were all born. Each season, a male and female penguin find each other and develop a bond to bring a new penguin into the world.

Once the egg is laid, the male penguins take care of the young, allowing the tired mothers to find food. During the entire ordeal, males will go upwards of five months without eating. Because of the extreme cold, the penguins instinctively huddle into one large mass, which always moves.

In nature documentaries, the information the film provides about the animals is needed, but it’s the cinematography that really transforms it from average into something special. Here, the cinematography is wonderful, capturing some great shots that really express the hardships these creatures go through.

The film makes us care about the birds and watch in awe at they’re innate rituals. The images capture the majestic beauty of the birds with their distinct coloring. And their babies are just so darn cute. It’s nice to see a nature doc becoming one of the surprise hits of the summer. It just goes to show you that a good movie can touch everyone.