I expected this National Geographic three part mini-series Kingdom of the White Wolf (apparently only season 1?) to be just about wolves, but actually, it's as much about the nature photographer Ronan Donovan who photographs them.
Ronan's quest is to find a pack of wild wolves who will let him photograph them before the arctic summer season ends and total 24/7 darkness begins in winter. Ronan doesn't just want to photograph wolves, he already did that in Yellowstone Park. He wants to photograph wolves who might never have seen humans, have not been hunted by them, and are not afraid. He also wants to photograph them in the arctic tundra, their home for thousands of years, 840 miles from the nearest human civilization, before global warming eventually and at this point inevitably does away with this wintry landscape and its furry inhabitants and their way of life.
Ronan is a particular kind of photographer, in that he doesn't just want a picture, he deeply wants to care for the wolves, and is especially conscious of any stress he puts them under. Ronan's story is actually what kept me watching, because while he doesn't say much (it's a shame the story digresses away from him actually), he comes across as genuine, and his integrity is as impressive as the resilience of the wolves.
Kingdom of the White Wolf is about Ronan, and it's about white wolves, but ultimately it's about resilience, as the series documents the many failures of both Ronan and the wolves to capture what they're seeking--on the part Ronan, intimate, close-range footage, and for the wolves, some tasty muskox or arctic hare. Actually what surprised me about this documentary was how unsuccessful it actually was, and how it was still put together, but I'm glad it was. I watched Kingdom of the White Wolf on Disney+ app, so came prepared for some over idealized, fantasy version of a wolf documentary. However this one was quite dry, and it doesn't give answers, and it doesn't erase the sense of danger that comes with a photographer being this close to wild, hungry wolves.
What did start to grate on me was the chronology of the documentary, which actually does seem out of order and noticeably so, given the narrative of Ronan and how little he is able to get the shots he wants when he wants them. There are actually two narrators in the film, Ronan and a female narrator who speaks very poetically and omnisciently. The poeticism is appreciated for its high level vocabulary, complex concepts, and delivery, but the omniscience is at odds with the narrative of the search and the unknown Ronan has. I wondered several times what the deal was.
While Kingdom of the White Wolf has a level of inconsistency on the editing perspective which causes confusion, it still is a remarkable bit of documentary work, both in a behind the scenes look at the way these nature documentaries are made and the subject of the beautiful, powerful, and ecologically threatened wolf.
Several times, Ronan calls the wolf "misunderstood" as a predator, and asserts that wolves are essential to the balance of the tundra's fragile ecosystem, as they prey on muskox who might easily overgraze the tundra and cause most of the herd to starve due to overpopulation. Ronan also makes sure to document the loving, affectionate and playful nature of the wolf in their family unit, in addition to its prowess when hunting. I appreciated Ronan's balanced but not overly sentimental outlook on wolves, and liked the way the female narrator added to this philosophical approach in a memorable line saying how each day the wolf lives is their best and possibly last day in the difficult terrain of the arctic tundra.
Very much liked this documentary. Can't wait for more, and can look past its imperfections. Did I mention the beautiful scenery, and the gorgeous colors and cinematography? Truly stunning. I probably would've liked more music soundtrack, but enjoyed the howls and bird calls and the strange silence between them, too.
