Film Reviews

The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos

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• Details: US/UK/75mins (PG)

Obviously educational and painstakingly assembled, it's still hard to see the point in Disney releasing this documentary on the plight of a bunch of flamingos in Africa, to cinemas. There's just nothing overtly cinematic about it. The story, at first, centres on a recently hatched flamingo, as she struggles to make her way in the harsh salt-drenched East African wilds of Tanzania. It then shifts a lot more broadly to the remarkable journey that all the chicks must make in order to survive. It's interesting enough fare, and would be a lot more enjoyable if you were lying at home on your couch, watching it on The Discovery Channel. But when you've to pay about nine quid for the pleasure, the whole thing seems like a waste of money. The story doesn't have enough of a hook, or feel engaging enough to warrant a cinematic outing, and if you drag your kids to see it ahead of Pixar or Dreamworks latest CGI effort, you may find yourself in the midst of a tantrum. Wait for the inevitable box-set with the whole Disney wildlife series together.

Review by Mike Sheridan