There are millions of species on the planet. It is ironic, then, that most movies are about human beings. Well, BBC Earth Films is trying to shift the balance. After the highly successful and beautifully made Earth, they've come out with another masterpiece in One Life.
There isn't much time to explore all creatures great and small in the 85-minute running time, so the movie simply uses snippets here and there. (Viewers who want more should see the full 10-part series.) But each clip is captured in such detail (with rich music and a great narration by Daniel Craig) that it's still a joy to experience.
Behavioural parallels
Ultimately, the unifying message is that we're all connected and that we're all the same. It was actually quite interesting to pay attention to some of the behaviours that the animals show (competing for mates, hunting for food, etc.) and notice the parallels in our own life. And I can't be the only person who took one look at the Japanese macaques and saw how much they resemble us!
Yet, at the same time, we're remarkably different. Life on Earth has somehow evolved to produce a variety of complex creatures that have come up with intricate ways to survive. It kind of makes you wonder how we ended up on top (barring the bigger brains and opposable thumbs). It also makes you wonder whether we'll be on top forever.
Perhaps we need to learn from our fellow creatures so that we can increase the odds of our survival. Or perhaps it's only a matter of time before they're the ones making movies about us.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Running Time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Age Restriction: PG (predators going after prey)
