318. One Life

I've watched wildlife films all of my life and I've still no idea how the cameramen capture such amazing images.
In BBC Earth's One Life, there are, among many others, scenes under polar waters, inside an ant colony and in the midst of silverback gorillas.
The footage is utterly amazing.
Michael Gunton and Martha Holmes' film is a spit in the eye for those who think the planet is on its way out.
It celebrates the united will which the world's species have to survive, exploring key moments in life like, birth, parenthood, self-preservation, hunting and love.
Its on-screen 84 minutes are taken from 10,000 hours of footage and it took over four years to make.
There are some utterly remarkable scenes, including the incredible journey of a poisonous red frog which literally carries its tadpoles one by one to the top of a jungle tree where water has been collected in leaves.
Then there is the Jesus Christ lizard, so named because it walks on water.
One Life boasts a clutch of film firsts:
They include: three cheetahs working together to hunt down an ostrich, dolphins forcing fish to jump out of the sea into their mouths, a pebble toad throwing itself down a cliff to avoid a tarantula and Chilean stag beetles fighting over a potential mate in the treetops.
It is both occasionally spellbinding but also has considerable humour.
There is only one significant minus point: Daniel Craig.
Yes, the narration is done by James Bond and he sounds neither shaken nor stirred by the amazing pictures on the screen.
He is just way too flat and lacks either the empathy or the fun for the job.
And that is a real pity because the camera work alone is work the 8/10 rating. Craig's lack-lustre commentary means it cannot be given a higher mark.
Nevertheless, if you get a chance this summer, try to offer this the kids as an alternative to the blockbusters. They will be just as wide-eyed, if not more.