Island of Lemurs: Madagascar Parent Guide

Hey! Where are those ridiculous lemurs and sassy penguins? Oops… maybe when you first saw this title, you made the same mistake I did. No, this isn’t another animated spectacle featuring escaped zoo animals with psychological hang-ups. Instead this is pure documentary material that will actually teach audiences about the incredible lemur and its unique home of Madagascar.

Narrated by the iconic documentary voice of Morgan Freeman, this movie is a visual feast of jumping, dancing, hanging and flying lemurs—thought to be one of the oldest species of mammals on earth. We also meet Dr. Patricia Wright, an American researcher who was determined to find a Greater Bamboo Lemur, a sub-species thought to be extinct.

Unlike other documentaries focused on cute, furry critters Island of Lemurs: Madagascar doesn’t get carried away with goofy jokes and a silly musical score. Instead it uses its scant 39 minutes to seriously educate its audience about these animals, which are still facing threats due to deforestation across the island. And, thanks to a lack of unnecessary objectionable content, this film is very accessible to all ages. Some very young children may have questions as to why the lemur’s home is endangered (we see people burning trees and clearing land) but there are no explicit visual details.

I had the privilege of seeing Island of Lemurs: Madagascar on an IMAX screen, but the information will still be just as relevant in a smaller size. Perhaps my only criticism is that I could have sat watching these endearing creatures a little longer and would have enjoyed more detailed information—especially about their future prognosis.

About author

Rod Gustafson

Rod Gustafson has worked in various media industries since 1977. He founded Parent Previews in 1993, and today continues to write and broadcast the reviews in newspapers, on radio and (of course) on the Internet. His efforts also include writing and researching media in all its forms and observing how it effects society and culture. He and his wife Donna have four children.