BMZ Review: Born to Be Wild
By Ann Coates

Born to Be Wild 3D
Written by: Ann Coates
Source: Big Movie Zone
Date: October 19, 2011

The latest release from IMAX, Born to Be Wild 3D, acts as both a lively document of orphaned animals, and as a tribute to the people who have rescued and raised them.  Following the stories of orphaned elephants and orangutans, Born to Be Wild, examines and celebrates the rehabilitation of these animals while documenting some boisterous and amusing images of animals at play.

Narrated by Morgan Freeman, the film introduces two exceptional women who have devoted their lives to saving orphaned animals.  In Borneo, Dr. Biruté Mary Galdikas rescues orangutans who have been left without family due to encroachment and habitat destruction.  In Kenya, Dame Daphne M. Sheldrick saves orphaned elephants whose mothers have been killed by poachers for their ivory tusks.  Being a family oriented film, Born to Be Wild only hints at the devastation and cruelty caused by humans.  The film spends more time celebrating these women and capturing the animals at play and reverie.

Photographed beautifully by cinematographer David Douglas, the film excels in its imagery from jubilant orangutans in a jungle gym to the more serene moments of an elephant falling asleep.  The 3D is also well done, allowing up close views of the animals, but suffers from a lack of brightness (as all 3D films do).  The film also provides some interesting visual parallels with the red soil of Kenya and the burnt orange of the orangutans -- both in the midst of lush green environments.

What is most fascinating in the film however is not the visuals, but rather the behavior of these wild animals.  Born to Be Wild masterfully captures the personalities and demeanor of the elephants and orangutans, sometimes appearing to have very human qualities.  Both animals are eerily human in the way they recognize and love their caretakers.  Similarly, both Dr. Galdikas and Dame Sheldrick show a true love for these animals as they act as their surrogate mothers.  It is a surprising glimpse into the animal world and only hints at the complexity of these creatures.

Despite their bond to their rescuers, ultimately these animals are wild and must return to their natural habitats.  Though the rehabilitation process is long and attachments grow, the animals must be let into the wild -- a bittersweet but necessary moment.  The film succeeds as a tribute to these animal rescuers, but also as a document of these truly amazing animals and their ability to survive and flourish.

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