The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos

"The Crimson Wing" is the sort of wildlife documentary that is most likely to leave the sympathetic viewer somewhat saddened when they witness the survival struggles of the flamingos who flock in the 1000s at Lake Natron, Tanzania.

This excellently photographed documentary is impressively presented through "Disneynature". And - (IMO) - It is certainly well-worth a view for all of those spectators out there who can greatly appreciate all that takes place (be it good or bad) in the wonderfully fascinating (and often mysterious) world of nature.

Known simply as 'The Crimson Wing' here in the UK, I remember it causing a bit of a stir when it was released just over a year ago. Of course it all died down pretty quickly and the film didn't pick up any major awards. Needless to say it caught my attention and so when it turned up on TV I decided to give it a viewing.

This documentary tells the story of Lake Natron in northern Tanzania and how every year, after the rains come, a massive flock of Lesser Flamingos comes to the lake to breed. It tells of all the trials and tribulations of the young chicks, of all the dangers they must survive and, yes, there are scenes depicting the fates of those that don't. We are also told about some of the wildlife surrounding the lake and how it gives the flamingos their unique crimson plumage.

A great score and some superb cinematography give this film the edge over other nature documentaries I've seen. There is also a great narration delivered by British TV presenter, Mariella Frostrup which only added to my enjoyment.

It did tend to sag a bit towards the end, but overall quite an enjoyable and informative film. I wouldn't recommend it for the very young, but I think for anyone interested in wildlife its well worth a viewing. Over all, recommended.

My score: 6.8/10

The DisneyNature documentaries vary in quality, while not caring for 'Elephant' and 'Born in China' 'Earth' and 'Oceans' for instances are outstanding. Many people said that DisneyNature's first documentary was a must watch and being someone who likes flamingos a lot (some gorgeous ones at my local zoo) and wanted to know more about these too often under-explored animals there was no chance of missing 'The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingo'.

Found myself really impressed by 'The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingo' when watching it a few weeks ago. It may not be the best introduction to the DisneyNature documentaries for younger audiences, as by DisneyNature standards 'The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingo' is quite dark at times. To me, it is actually among the better DisneyNature documentaries, with it being one of the more informative, best narrated and best scored, even if other ones are even better visually.

It's not perfect, some of the final act drags and the content is a touch on the repetitive side at this point too.

However, 'The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingo' looks wonderful. The scenery is a wonder to look at and is also suitably unforgiving to show that flamingos still have difficulties adapting to their environments. The photography is even better, lots of vibrant colour and seeing them up close shows the flamingos' beauty even more while not being claustrophobic. As said, the music (a variable aspect in the DisneyNature documentaries) is beautifully scored and adds to the mood perfectly without spelling things out too much, one of the best of the lot. Beautifully performed too.

Narration came over as very engaging and informative, never childish, patronising or schmaltzy. Such a lot not known beforehand was learned, the only thing not so good about this aspect was moments of repetition in the last act. Mariella Frostrup narrates with warmth and a sincere quality, with clear interest in the material and the ability to respect the viewer.

Moreover, the flamingos are absolutely adorable, look amazing and so easy to root for. Their journey has some entertainment value and a huge amount of charm, but it is also incredibly moving and doesn't shy away from showing the difficulties they have to overcome. Some of which shocking and quite dark but not too disturbing for DisneyNature.

Concluding, very good. 8/10

I saw "The Crimson Wing" a few years ago, it was the first Disneynature documentary I had seen. I never thought Flamingos could be as beautiful as presented in this film. The filmmakers and cinematographer's did a great job getting the shots of these wild animals.

In the film, it explains how mankind has been devastating to the ecosystem and the habitats of flamingos. The BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico a few years back destroyed a lot of their natural habitat.

You get to see the life-cycle of these amazing birds, from birth to death. This is a true educational experience. The quality is great, and it's a film the whole family can watch together.

Like MARCH OF THE PENGUINS, THE CRIMSON WING is a nature documentary focused on a single subject, produced by Walt Disney Studios of all people. Thankfully this isn't a twee or sentimental type account of the material, rather a solid, fact-focused documentary packed full of gorgeous photography of the birds.

It turns out that Lesser Flamingos are the birds behind the myth of the Phoenix, and the correlation of their lifecycle to that of the legendary bird rising from the ashes is an engaging one. But this is a film that offers more to the casual viewer, with plenty of tragedy and chaos along the way. There are the inevitably tear-jerking scenes involving the chicks that didn't make it, and such moments are tragic beyond belief.

THE CRIMSON WING offers strong commentary by experienced narrator Mariella Frostrup and a lean, mean, running time which excises extraneous material from the narrative. Best of all, though, it has fantastic cinematography that helps to fuel a colourful, engaging and thorough exploration of the topic.