DisneyNature’s “Sea Lions of the Galapagos” and “Guardians of the Galapagos”
Streaming now on Disney+ are two documentaries from DisneyNature: “Sea Lions of the Galapagos” and “Guardians of the Galapagos.” “Sea Lions” fits DisneyNature’s typical format to follow one creature of a local species as they grow and learn into adulthood. “Guardians of the Galapagos” takes a wider zoom to look at the many people and organizations that work to document, protect and restore the unique and threatened environment and species of the Galapagos.
Narrated by Blair Underwood, “Guardians of the Galapagos” opens on the crew traveling to the Galapagos to film and document the many varied flora and fauna of the islands. This part of the film focuses on the logistics of filming a nature documentary, and was a fascinating look into how a whole genre of entertainment gets made. From looks into the lives of the crews, to insights about equipment and logistics, “Guardians of the Galapagos” still contains the gorgeous footage that characterizes DisneyNature features, but also expands its scope to look behind the camera. The crew also turns its lens to the human communities of the Galapagos, only established within the last few centuries, and their efforts to protect the reserve around the islands and the fishing rights of sustainable indigenous catchers. This feature also seems to be where the filmmakers have segmented the now pre-requisite “bummer portion” of a nature documentary on microplastics, climate change and habitat destruction, though this one is tempered by highlighting the local efforts to cleanup the islands. “Guardians of the Galapagos” doesn’t have the same entertaining narrative or application of soundtrack that gives “Sea Lions of the Galapagos” its fun spirit or appeal to viewers of all ages, but at just over an hour, it is a worthy watch for the older or more logistically minded viewer.
“Sea Lions of the Galapagos” is where this pair really shines. Focusing on Leo, a precious sea lion pup that starts the film as a week old bundle of fuzz, the film follows him as he learns to swim and hunt alongside his mother, Luna, before setting off on his own to find and claim his own beach. Narrated by Brendan Fraser, “Sea Lions” incorporates the same sense of humor as DisneyNature’s previous films (my personal favorite is “Penguins”). From their clumsy flopping along the sand, to their ridiculous little squawk-barks and their silly tiny ears, sea lions truly are the comedians of the sea and Leo is no exception. Below the laughs, runs a thread of discovery as Leo comes of age and travels among the islands. Heartwarming and gorgeous, “Sea Lions of the Galapagos” is a great and worthy watch for viewers of all ages.
Both “Sea Lions of the Galapagos” and its companion feature “Guardians of the Galapagos” are streaming now on Disney+.
