Arctic Tale

The growth to maturity of a polar-bear cub and a walrus pup above the Arctic Circle, filmed by directors Adam Ravetch and Sarah Robertson over a period of years (accounts differ as to exactly how many). The story is actually pieced together from footage of many individual animals, and sometimes the contrivance is obvious. There are remarkable shots of the stark, desolate scenery, especially under water (a specialty of Ravetch’s) and hints of a hidden agenda (the females are resourceful and nurturing, while males are either helpless weaklings or brutal predators). The schoolmarmish narration by Queen Latifah (written by Linda Woolverton, Mose Richards and Kristin Gore) prepares us for the film’s shift to a wake-up call on global warming, in the style of a PBS it’s-all-your-fault nature documentary.