Arctic Tale Entertains and Informs

I just saw the film "Arctic Tale" on DVD and was impressed by the filmmakers' ability to tell a great family story while interweaving informative information about the animals and their environment.

Arctic Tale will delight family members of all ages as it follows a polar bear and walrus from birth to adulthood. You also learn plenty about the other inhabitants of the Arctic including foxes, narwhals, and whales through incredible up close encounters on land and in the sea.

The narration (by Queen Latifah) mentions the thinning ice and shortening seasons several times in the film in the context of increasing the task of the animals finding food. The details about the harshness of the environment only adds to the story. The message about the warming temperatures is very soft and doesn't once mention climate change or humanity's contribution -- until the conclusion.

As the end credits are rolling, the filmmakers cleverly chose children to deliver messages about the need for conservation and energy efficiency strategies such as turning off appliances, washing in cold water and driving less. By focusing on children and the young animals, Arctic Tale reminds us that we chose to live sustainably for the benefit of current and future generations.

Kudos to directors Adam Ravetch and Sarah Robertson for generating quality entertainment that effectively uses imagery and emotion to deliver an important message.