Dolphin Reef Parent Guide

Echo is a three-year-old bottlenose dolphin who lives around a Polynesian reef with his mother, Kumo, and their pod. Echo is supposed to be learning adult skills like hunting, but he would rather play and explore. His curiosity leads him to discover mantis shrimp, parrotfish, humpback whales, and many other ocean creatures.

One thing to know about me is that I’m a huge Planet Earth fan. I consider those to be the pinnacle of nature documentaries. Dolphin Reef is the first Disneynature documentary I have seen, and Planet Earth it is not. But I don’t think that is necessarily a bad thing. This is a documentary designed for young audiences, so the structure and production choices reflect that. The focus is on narrative and learning general facts about these creatures rather than a deep dive into zoology and ecology. The writers have chosen to humanize the animals by placing human emotions and motivations on them, especially the dolphins, in a way that an adult viewer will know is not accurate to reality. But this choice is, I think, effective for younger audiences. Children can relate to a young dolphin with curious tendencies, or a mantis shrimp who just wants a clean house. Complicated concepts like the reef ecosystem are oversimplified, making them easily digestible for young kids.

Natalie Portman’s narration is well done and engaging to listen to. At some points she literally puts words into animals’ mouths which adds humor, though adults might roll their eyes a bit. Her tone of voice and inflections lend themselves to the overall approach of the film.

Dolphin Reef is an enjoyable and educational choice for families. My three-year-old was highly engaged and learned a lot. Even I, a nature documentary junkie, learned a few things. He got a little scared once or twice, but nothing that made him want to turn it off or leave. It’s a nature documentary, so there’s going to be some peril and some fish are going to get eaten, but it never feels gratuitous. The narrator mentions that humans have a part to play in the reef ecosystem, but never explains how, which could be a great jumping off point for families to discuss how our actions impact our world and the creatures that live there.

And if you’re wondering how very young children will enjoy this film, here are some quotes from my three year old: “Mommy, there’s so many fishies!” “Look! The dolphins are jumping out of the ocean!” “Oh no, they’re fighting! That’s not good.”