By John Corrado
Orangutan is the latest Earth Day release from Disneynature, a tradition that now stretches back over fifteen years.
This one follows Indah, a 9-year-old orangutan (we are told that makes her a teenager in human years) in the jungles of Southeast Asia, living with her mother Diann and new baby brother Bimo. They are also contending with another orangutan family who are higher up on the social ladder, and get first dibs at all the fresh fruit.
Like previous entries in the Disneynature series, which used to be theatrical releases before streaming, Orangutan anthropomorphizes the animals just enough to build a story around them. Josh Gad is our celebrity narrator this time around, once again striking that balance between gentle humour and naturalism.
The film is directed by series veteran Mark Linfield, and co-directed by Vanessa Berlowitz, who previously worked together on Disneynature’s Elephant and Tiger. They lean in to the educational aspect of also introducing us to the variety of other species that inhabit the jungle, beyond just the titular primates.
The film leans in to the cuteness, but also doesn’t entirely shy away from animal realism, such as a scene of a male orangutan chowing down on a slow loris, which is introduced a few scenes earlier as the only venomous primate. We also see the orangutans passing on the ability to use different tools, which Gad’s narration likens to how humans have different cultures.
The camerawork not only captures captivating closeups of our primate protagonists, but also the vibrant greens of the trees and the different flora and fauna of the jungle setting. It features a lush score by musician Nitin Sawhney, that is tied together by some nice needle-drops, including “I Wan’na Be Like You” from Disney’s The Jungle Book, which fittingly becomes a motif throughout the film. Van Morrison’s “Days Like This” also plays during a rainstorm, another nice touch.
It pretty much follows the Disneynature formula to a tee, but that is tried and true at this point, and Orangutan is another satisfying addition to the collection. The only thing that is missed here is the lack of behind the scenes footage during the end credits, which became a staple of other releases.
Film Rating: ★★★ (out of 4)
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