MONKEY KINGDOM – The Review

The latest Earth Day release from Disneynature, MONKEY KINGDOM, is the charming story of Maya, a toque macaque living in the rainforest of Sri Lanka, whose world is changed when her son Kip is born. Anxious for her son to have all the best that life in their troop has to offer, Maya tries, not always successfully, to climb the social ladder and advance up the pecking order of the troop. At the top sits alpha male Raja, and his harem of top females and offspring that get the best beds, the best food and the best treatment.

After an attack on their home, Castle Rock, by a neighboring troop of monkeys, Raja is injured and the troop must now rely on Maya and her mate Kumar’s jungle smarts and street savvy to survive. One particularly hilarious sequence shows the local town and markets overrun with monkeys, stealing every piece of food they can get their little monkey hands on. After a few days of gorging and building up their strength, Maya and the rest of the troop, led by Kumar, are now ready to launch the fight to get their precious home back.

Narrated by Tina Fey, MONKEY KINGDOM is directed by Mark Linfield, who worked on Disneynature’s terrific CHIMPANZEE and co-directed by Alastair Fothergill, who has had a hand in almost all of the Disneynature features, including BEARS, and AFRICAN CATS.

Once again, Linfield, Fothergill and crew capture some of the most spectacular images of the jungle and its’ inhabitants that most humans would never have the opportunity to see. Composer Harry Gregson-Williams brings the ancient ruins and jungles to life with his score. As with the previous Disneynature features, the end credits give audiences a glimpse into what the actual filming was like (monkeys taking selfies, anyone?). MONKEY KINGDOM is spellbinding.

5 out of 5 stars

Disneynature’s MONKEY KINGDOM swings into theaters April 17

For every ticket sold opening week (April 17-23, 2015), Disneynature will make a donation to Conservation International to help protect monkeys and other endangered species in their natural habitats.