Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsEARTH: You're Killing It
Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2017
The footage is BEA-U-TI-FUL, but it's shockingly different in style and feel from the other Disney Nature films we own. "Bears" and "Monkey Kingdom" were both very real (telling of dangers, showing fights, and even death) but also light-hearted and story-driven. No lie, "Earth" felt like I was being scolded by Darth Vader because obviously I'm making the Earth die and therefore all of these beautiful animals... I mean, it's true information. The ice caps are melting... and that's why the baby polar bears' dad died.... lying next to prey he was too weak to eat..... because humans... Again, I believe kids should learn about how we negatively affect the planet so they will hopefully continue to try to save it in the future (****, I grew up on Ferngully), but it was pretty jarring to have a few minutes of nature education, then James Earl Jones lowering his already awe-inspiring voice to tell you that all this beauty is dying and it's your fault, then some nature footage, then death and destruction... Starving polar bears, stripped rain forests, elephants dying of thirst... Basically, it felt more like a very beautiful and long PSA. Which isn't bad or unnecessary. Just not what I was expecting based on the other Disney Nature films we've seen and might be a little rough for kids old enough to understand what he's saying but possibly not be ready to hear it stated so bluntly.