MONKEY KINGDOM – The Blu Review

MONKEY KINGDOM is the latest from DisneyNature. It’s a documentary narrated by Tina Fey that follows a newborn monkey and its mother as they struggle to survive within the competitive social hierarchy of the Temple Troop, a dynamic group of monkeys who live in ancient ruins found deep in the storied jungles of South Asia.

When Melissa Howland reviewed MONKEY KINGDOM at We Are Movie Geeks, she wrote: “Once again, (filmmakers) 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.” Read all of Mellissa’s review HERE

MONKEY KINGDOM has been released on Blu-ray from Disney and We Are Movie Geeks has had a look

MONKEY KINGDOM’s gorgeous 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer at an aspect ratio of 1.78:1 is perfect. Colors are rich and striking, lush jungle greens and earthy tree-bark browns are natural and lifelike, and black levels are deep and absorbing, without a hint of crush or shadowy murkiness. Detail is as dazzling as it is refined.

Raja and Maya’s jungle home comes to life thanks to MONKEY KINGDOM’s immersive DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. Tina Fey’s narration is clear and distinct without ever hijacking the soundscape, and the chimps’ chatter, bellows and battle cries are preserved to perfection.

The Extras are generous

• Tales from the Kingdom runs 12 minutes and details some behind-the-scenes tricks that go into filming this type of nature doc.
• On the Set of Monkey Kingdom with Jane Goodall and Wolfgang Dittus is a 6- minutes featurette that documents the input of the two famed anthropologists who visited the production during its filming.
• Disneynature Monkey Kingdom: A Conservation is an 8-minute featurette that shows how a “buffer zone” is created between jungles and developed areas in Sri Lanka.
• “It’s Our World” Music Video Performed by Jacquie Lee runs 3 minutes
• A Special Thank You from Disneynature runs 2 minutes and details how some of the profits from each film in the Disneynature series have benefited a specific conservationist movement.