Wednesday, August 14, 2024
My Penguin Friend
Who doesn’t love penguins!
This is the most amazing animal story about a wayward penguin & his adaptability to live among humans. Even more astounding is this film was inspired by a true story. It is told through 3 points of views: the human who rescued this penguin, the biologists who tried to study this penguin, & though the eyes of this unique & remarkable penguin. First off, the cinematography of these lovely creatures on land, on the ocean surface, & underwater alone is worth the price of admission. It’s “March of the Penguins” & beyond. This heartbreaking & heartwarming story begins with a tragic accident that haunts a Brazilian fisherman, Joao (Jean Reno), with guilt & regret. Years later, Joao rescues a lost penguin who was very weak & covered in oil. He nourishes the penguin back to health & month later when it is strong enough, Joao tries to set it free on distant island hoping it will return to its natural habitats of Antarctica & Argentina, but one day it returns to Joao. As the penguin becomes a familiar sight in Joao’s village, his granddaughter names it Dindim. As Dindim returns to his natural migration seasons, he comes & goes as he pleases. At one of his habits, biologists tag Dindim as part of their studies of penguin life. They do notice Dindim is different. Eventually, Dindim does become worldwide famous as this unusual story is revealed. Filmmaker have done a remarkable job of capturing penguin footage & editing pieces together to tell their story. The penguin vision was a nice touch. Reno is emotionally outstanding as he connects to his new friend. It is an emotional rollercoaster as this lovable creature tugs at are heartstrings culminating with an “it takes a village” moment. This is the best movie that I’ve seen all year. I️ would highly recommend it. It’s a great family film & educational too. At the film’s end is footage of the real human rescuer & his penguin friend who spent 8 years of visitation together.
Alien gives it 4 “IEMANJA” stars out of 4.
