AFRICAN CATS – The Review

Set on the African savanna, AFRICAN CATS revolves around the lions that make up the River Pride and a lone cheetah named Sita. The River Pride is protected by its single male named Fang, a broken tooth dangling from his mouth from an old battle, and Layla, the senior matriarch of the pride and mother to 6-month-old cub Mara. North of the river is a fearsome lion named Kali, who wants to take over the River Pride with his three sons. Meanwhile, Sita, the cheetah, struggles to raise her five cubs alone while predators stalk the plains around her.

When the aging Fang realizes he is outmatched my Kali and his sons, he gives up control of the pride and heads out on his own. After being seriously injured in a hunt, Layla realizes she must be sure of Mara’s safety and future in the pride and makes it her mission to have the other lionesses accept Mara as one of their own.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the savanna, Sita single-handedly wrangles her cubs, all the while keeping them safe from vicious hyenas, as well as Kali and his sons, who are up to no good. Sita immediately demonstrates that even some of the most dangerous predators are no match for her speed and intelligence. As Sita takes her cubs through the daily “cheetah boot camp,” they train with many of the residents of the area in light-hearted games of tag and “practice” hunting.

Beautifully shot in the Masai Mara region of Kenya, AFRICAN CATS is easily the next best thing to actually being there. Filmed over a period of a few years, directors Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey bring the incredible drama of nature right to your lap. In one impressively heart-stopping sequence, three young male lions must make the decision to either cross the swift moving, crocodile infested river or stay and face Kali and his sons who are out to kill any perceived male competition for the pride. As they bravely enter the river for the dangerous swim, the crocodiles circle, waiting for an easy meal. Once in the water there is no turning back and you don’t breathe for the next 2 minutes.

The connection to the animals is instant, their character and stories playing out as if they lived next door. Amazing detail is paid to the individual characters and their interaction with the wild, dangerous, funny, and sometimes heartbreaking world they live in (psst…stay for the entire ending credits for one of the funniest and most clever crew lists you’ve ever seen…). The spot-on narration by Samuel L. Jackson is a perfect combination of drama and understanding.

Released by Disney on Earth Day, April 22, AFRICAN CATS is a heartwarming reminder that such places do still exist on our planet and will continue through this kind of exposure and eco-education. Take the whole family for a truly enjoyable and awe-inspiring experience.