Life (TV Mini Series) Challenges of Life (2009) User Reviews

The Amazing Sights On Planet Earth

[ccthemovieman-1 · 10/10 · 23 March 2010]

Another high definition nature series? Fine, bring 'em all on.....they are fantastic.

First it was "Planet Earth," then "Wild Pacific" and "Wild Russia," and now this....more spectacular, unbelievable pictures of the creatures who roam our earth, from the tiniest to the biggest.

In this opening episode, about the challenges of staying alive on this planet, were see three hungry cheetahs taking down a big ostrich; a chameleon with long, long, accurate tongue; a baby Ibex in Israel, escaping a wolf thanks to the Ibex's incredible climbing ability on cliffs; fish with wings that fly away from predators; an amazing tiny mother red frog and the lengths she goes to in protecting her babies;

An "octo mom" - the real thing - an octopus who only gives birth once, but to 100,000 eggs; a fly who stretches his eyeballs out to great length to impress females (and it works!); Two hundred hippos in one spot: 199 females and one dominant (ya think?) male!; examples of the intelligence of one group of dolphins and tiny monkeys.....and more.

This was an excellent opening episode and it looks like this series will be the equal of the other outstanding ones mentioned above. See it in HD, if you can - it's really beautiful.

The challenges of life on earth

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 4 January 2018]

Despite how much he apparently dislikes the term "national treasure", that term really does sum up David Attenborough to a tee. He is such a great presenter (in his 90s and still sounds, and looks on a side note, great) and whenever a new series of his is aired they are often among the best the BBC has done in years.

Am a great fan of a lot of Attenborough's work and BBC's nature documentaries with his involvement are among their best work in years. Have been watching the BBC less over time, but there are always exceptions, unexpected gems and expected treasures that come our way every now and again and their nature documentaries are the perfect examples of expected treasures. 'Life' is a crowning achievement for a documentary series and actually, like the best documentary shows, feels much more than that. As far as Attenborough's work goes too, 'Life' to me is one of his biggest achievements.

"Challenges of Life" is a wonderful beginning and is testament to why 'Life' deserves its acclaim. It may explore the challenges of survival for animals, but for the viewer watching it's an awe-inspiring delight from start to finish.

First and foremost, "Challenges of Life" is exceptionally well-made. Hardly surprising, one comes to expect that from Attenborough's work. In fact saying that doesn't do the production values justice. It is gorgeously filmed, done in a completely fluid and natural, sometimes intimate (a great way of connecting even more with the animals), way and never looking static. In fact much of it is remarkably cinematic. The editing is always succinct and smooth and the scenery and various habitats are remarkably diverse and look speechlessly spectacular.

On a documentary level, "Challenges of Life" continually fascinates and illuminates, while there are some familiar facts here a lot of it was very much new. By the end of the series for me more was gotten out of it, and educated me much more than, anything taught when studying Geography and Science in secondary school.

Attenborough's narration helps quite significantly too, he clearly knows his stuff and knows what to say and how to say it. He delivers it with his usual richness, soft-spoken enthusiasm and sincerity, never talking down to the viewer and keeping them riveted and wanting to know more.

The wildlife and life-forms are both adorable and dangerous, the wide-ranging diversity of what was included was staggering and it was lovely to see a mix of the familiar and the not-so-familiar. How they adapt to their environments, why they behave the way they do, how nature works and how what the wildlife and life-forms do affects their environments were all touched upon and made their points subtly, not hammering it home too much (a potential danger with documentaries).

The cheetah, Ibex, octopus and flying fish sequences, in an episode that covers a lot and is filled with wondrous scenes of great power and emotion, are particularly striking.

Not once does "Challenges of Life" feel like an episodic stringing of scenes like it easily could have been. Instead it feels like its own story and journey, with real, complex emotions and conflicts and animal characters developed in a way a human character would in a film but does it better than several. One really cares for what they're told and the wildlife.

In conclusion, wonderful. 10/10 Bethany Cox