Humpback Whales – Protecting These Ancient Kings of the Ocean
From MacGillivray Freeman Films and director Greg MacGillivray comes this fantastic new documentary narrated by Ewan McGregor about the lives at humpback whales and the challenges they face to avoid extinction. KIDS FIRST! Critic Adam C., age 9 comments, “If you enjoy seeing a documentary movie that will educate, inspire and amaze you than you will love MacGillivray Freeman’s Humpback Whales. I learned more about the humpback whale than if I had studied this unit in school for a month!” See his full review below.
Humpback Whales
Reviewed by Adam C., KIDS FIRST! Critic, age 9
If you enjoy seeing a documentary movie that will educate, inspire and amaze you than you will love MacGillivray Freeman’s Humpback Whales. I learned more about the humpback whale than if I had studied this unit in school for a month!
This forty minute, large format documentary on humpback whales tags along with leading whale researchers using new methods to see what the humpback whales do when no one’s watching them.
The documentary follows the whales to the tropical kingdom of Tonga, to summertime in Alaska and then to the warm waters of Hawaii. The audience has a chance to follow the humpback whales migration, while experiencing their incredible songs and underwater acrobatics.
One unique thing among humpback males is the singing that they engage in. In fact, the recordings of whale songs are what helped save the humpback whales from extinction as people became interested in the animals who could make these beautiful and unique sounds.
The humpback whales do cooperative food gathering. It is known as “bubble net fishing” in which they work together to release bubbles and loud “feeding calls” to herd and trap herring. This makes it easier for them to gulp the herring or krill in large quantities because they can eat up to two tons of food a day.
My favorite part of the movie was seeing and learning about the different researchers who have spent their lives studying the humpback whales. One scene showing the males circling a female whale in an effort to mate is usually seen once every ten years. Nobody has ever seen the humpback whale actually mate so there are many unanswered questions surrounding this aspect of the humpback whales.
Ewan McGregor narrates with a sense of wonder that inspires us to want to know as much as possible about the humpback whales. The upbeat music throughout the movie peaks our interest and curiosity about these extraordinary creatures.
The film teaches us to admire and appreciate the complexities and sheer beauty of the humpback whales. We also see how a whale is rescued when it becomes entangled in life-threatening fishing gear. This rescue requires a lot of skill and understanding of how to free the whale while the rescuers stay safe. We learn the important things we must ensure so that they do not become extinct. We must never again have a whaling industry, have safer fishing gear, less trash in the ocean and take precautions not to have collisions between ships and whales.
I give this movie 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 18. Adam Chernick, 9, KIDS FIRST! Critic.
