Steven Spielberg and Morgan Freeman are taking us through the ages of the natural world in Life on Our Planet. Humanity may have only been around for a tiny percentage of the planet, but if we think we rule it, we are sorely mistaken. We are no match for Mother Nature, who has seen many dynasties, kingdoms, and species come and go—and she rules all.
In eight far-reaching episodes, Life on Our Planet takes us through the rise and fall of creatures that once walked the Earth or swam in its oceans. Teaming up with Industrial Light & Magic, the series uses the latest technology and research to bring long-extinct creatures to life in stunning detail, from mammoths to dinosaurs to giant millipedes (which might be even more terrifying than the dinos). Each episode focuses on different geological periods and the changes—and mass extinction events—that shaped them.
The visuals are simply amazing to watch—we’d expect nothing less with Spielberg at the helm as executive producer—blending vast landscape shots with close-ups of photo-realistic CGI creatures to connect the stories of these mighty ancestors, big and small. And Freeman’s narration is majestic as he lends his gravitas to the project, hammering home just how small we are compared to the millennia that preceded us.
Life on Our Planet is not as relaxing as most nature documentaries—due to the fiercely large scale this series commands—but it is a visual treat that should be seen on the largest screen possible.
