National Geographic and Walt Disney Pictures have teamed up to bring Secrets of the Whales to the home screen. The film follows one of the largest mammals in the ocean with awesome cinematography as they live in the deeps and off the coast of several continents. The 4 Part series is executive produced by James Cameron and narrated by Academy Award nominated actress Sigourney Weaver. And its release date is appropriate being the celebration of Earth Day. All four episodes are streaming now on Disney +.
“Whales are the world’s most intelligent giants” starts the first part of this incredible Documentary and Adventure. The film opens with Orca Dynasty and follows the Orca as they tend to their families. It has been nicknamed the “Killer Whale” by ancient sailors because they are fearless predators even attacking the large humpback whales. In this segment you’ll see the beauty of this mammal and how they stick together in “families” like most of the whale species.
In segment two Humpback Song, the second largest of whales, the humpback commands the screen with its huge body and fins. Here a sense of family goes way beyond their local community as for each year thousands from all over the planet come together to hunt for krill. It’s a fascinating segment on how they use song to communicate.
In segment three we are treated to the Beluga Whale in “Beluga Kingdom”. The only truly white whale, it resembles a dolphin in many ways. Much like the dolphin, they communicate in a similar way. Found in the Artic these mammals show you their reunion, one that will put them on a 1000 mile pilgrimage though a death defying ice passage from Greenland to the Canadian Artic.
The final chapter “Giants” features the Sperm Whale, while the Blue Whale is the largest of all mammals in the ocean, the Sperm Whale takes center stage here. They have deep family connections and they share a common language. They use clicks to communicate and have the largest brain of any mammal. Off the coast of Dominica in the Atlantic Ocean, these huge creatures live in the warmer Caribbean. As tall as a 40 story building, it’s the most incredible of the whales.
The nearly 4 hour presentation is amazing. The story is an adventure in itself, but the cinematography puts you right in the action up close to these wonderful animals. They admittedly have been a subject of many sea documentaries, but this one brings you so up-close and personal that you will remember it for a long time. And, in the last chapter you will be treated to some nice surprises, a deep sea creature and a gross expression by a group of whales included.
Secrets of the Whales is one of the better presentations and I recommend it to everyone. Schools should show the film to their students to show that people are not the only ones who inhabit the Earth and these creatures help our planet to survive. My rating is 5 out of 5 Stars.
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
