March of the Penguins

And here I was thinking that the only good thing about penguins was their source of comedy in Adam Sandler movies.

I must admit that I was greatly surprised by March of the Penguins. It turned out to be an incredible tale of not so much love as the previews exclaim, but more of survival and instinct. I was simply amazed at the complexities of a penguin’s life down in the extreme harshness of the Antarctic. This film is a documentary, so if you’re not keen on the discovery channel or nature programs, then you probably won’t dig this movie; on the other hand, it was an incredibly well done and engaging documentary, with a surprisingly intriguing animal as its star. Not to mention of course, the fact that the illustrious Morgan Freeman provides the narration.

The film starts with the penguins’ incredible journey on their little penguin feet of over 70 miles of treacherous Antarctic terrain. Needless to say it takes these animals about two weeks to reach their destination—the carefully selected breeding ground at which all of them were born. Somehow, they instinctively know not only how to reach this location (as it varies from year to year given the constant movements of the ice), but also that it is the most solid area and least likely to melt while they attempt to raise their young. Each penguin couple learns to recognize his/her mate by vocal identification—which is amazing in itself considering that there are hundreds of birds all squawking loudly at the same time. The film details the elaborate rituals that each couple goes through for 6 or so months, all in an effort to raise a single chick. The couple transfers possession of the egg/chick back and forth between each other, taking turns at trekking the 70 miles back to the sea for food. At one point, the fathers actually go nearly four months without eating anything at all, depending on snow for hydration and each other for warmth, while at the same time balancing the small egg on their feet for two months to keep it warm. The temperatures are at their coldest during this time of near starvation, getting down to -150 degrees with the wind chill, yet the animals know to huddle together in a constantly cycling mass in order to protect each other and their precious offspring—keeping the eggs at 95 degrees at all times. The struggle for survival doesn’t end when the eggs are hatched, and the penguins are given more obstacles to overcome and more dangers from which to protect the fragile chick. And yet through it all, the parents are there to support each other, each going through endless harsh tests of strength.

Like I said, this is a documentary, and while I have always been the type to enjoy most nature shows, this documentary is uniquely surprising. The penguins almost put every other species to shame with their innate ability to survive in such a horrible climate, while making countless acts of self-sacrifice for their chicks. So impressive were these animals that at times I felt as though the penguins must be moving under the direction of the filmmakers, as their rituals were performed with such perfect timing and extraordinary persistence. The filmmakers attempt to show how similar these animals are to us in some ways, but to be honest, the only consistent trend I noted was that it’s just as funny to watch a penguin slip on the ice and fall on his face as it is when a person does it. I am surprised to say though, that I definitely have a new respect for penguins after watching this movie. If you have any interest whatsoever, even the slightest bit of curiosity at the animal kingdom, then I suggest that you watch this film while you have the chance.