A New IMAX Journey Following the Oldest Mammals

Director: DAVID DOUGLAS/2014

Island of Lemurs: Madagascar is the latest nature documentary from IMAX and Warner Bros. It follows the journey of several species of lemurs who long ago made their way to the island of Madagascar from the mainland of the continent of Africa.

The story follows a group of scientists who are working to not only study these lemurs, but to also protect them from the many dangers that exist in their world such as forest fires, predators, etc. One species of lemurs is also on the brink of extinction and the film documents the efforts being made to help repopulate the animal in the natural forests of Madagascar, as no lemur of this species has ever survived in captivity. The lemurs are a fun animal and the cameras captured some wonderfully intimate moments of these creatures in their natural environment.

This IMAX production has one of the best uses of 3D I have seen and allows for the viewer to feel as if they were part of the environment of the Madagascar forest. The images are crisp, clear, and allow you to fully immerse yourself into the world of the lemur. The cinematography is also wonderful, capturing the diverse topography of this island.

Morgan Freeman lends his voice again to another nature documentary as he seeks to dominate the voice-over industry. And when you first hear his voice, its as if the film suddenly was able to tout Freeman as its bone fides for being a legitimate nature documentary along the lines of The March of the Penguins. If Morgan Freeman narrates your documentary, then it is truly legit!

Clocking in at just under 40 minutes, Island of Lemurs: Madagascar is the perfect time length for bringing your younger children. It is just long enough to hold their attention and leave them wanting more, and just short enough to keep them from getting bored. They will probably even try to imitate the dancing and “singing” of these lemurs once they leave the theater. IMAX has given us a wonderful film that is fun, informative, and perfect for the whole family.