Born To Be Wild (2011) Parent Guide

Morgan Freeman is the narrative voice behind this stunning documentary that follows two remarkable women as they pursue their life passions.

In the lush jungles of Borneo, German born Birute Galdikas mothers orphaned orangutans. Considered to be one of the three most prominent researchers on primates, along with Diane Fossey and Jane Goodall, Birute began the Orangutan Research and Conservation Project in 1971 in Borneo’s Tanjung Puting National Park. The film follows her efforts to reintroduce orangutans into their native habitat—one that is constantly under threat from encroaching farming efforts and other environmental changes. Working along side her son, she and a group of committed locals care for the young primates and teach them the skills they will need to survive independently.

Across the Indian Ocean in Kenya’s Tsavo National Park, Daphne Sheldrick cares for baby elephants whose mothers have been killed by poachers or died from other circumstances. In the reserve, she and her devoted Keepers serve as a replacement family for the young animals, feeding and nurturing them until they are old enough to begin a gradual introduction back into the wild. Having lived all her life among the animals of Kenya, Daphne has a keen knowledge of their habits and an in depth awareness of the intricacies of the elephant community.

Filmed in 3D, Born to Be Wild gives audiences a remarkable front row view of these women’s accomplishments in wildlife conservation. For the first time in a feature film, a dozen of this movie’s scenes were shot with 4k digital IMAX cameras. The result is a very intimate and realistic look at these little creatures as they swing through trees or use their trunks to throw red dirt on their backs for protection from the sun.

In truth, it is hard to find anything to quibble about in this documentary, other than the price of admission. Coming in at just 40 minutes of runtime, the cost per viewing minute is significantly higher than other 3D films. Still, the combination of beautiful cinematography, inspiring characters and cute baby animals may be enough to justify the entrance fee for this IMAX outing.

About author

Kerry Bennett

Kerry Bennett is interested in media from both a journalist and parent perspective. Along with authoring articles for several family-oriented publications, she has written for Parent Previews for over 15 years. As a parent herself, she believes parents play a powerful role in teaching media literacy in their homes.