Die Insel der Küstenwölfe

"Island of the Sea Wolves" is a four-episode mini-series which debuted on Netflix. It's set on Vancouver Island and follows several different animals over the course of a year...with each episode covering (approximately) one season. The show follows wolves, marmots, bears, bald eagles and NOT just wolves despite the title. In fact, the title to me just seems pretty arbitrary. It could have just as soon been called "Island of the Marmots"!

So what did I like about it? The cinematography is breathtaking. While not as grand as shows like "Earth" or films like the recent Disney nature documentaries, it has wonderful closeup shots of many wonderful creatures and the geography is lovely as well...and all well worth seeing.

And, what did I not love about the shows? The narration...which is OFTEN a problem with nature films. Too often the narration is very non-scientific and humanizes the animals...giving them names and even trying, occasionally, to be funny. I personally don't like this and wish the film was more scientific in focus. But, I guess there's a balance...too scientific and fewer might watch it. All I know is that it looks great...and a few times I winced at what was said in the shows.

Gorgeous photography and a wonderful landscape, but this series is ruined by its cloying, anthropomorphizing narration. Very quickly the viewer begins to notice how footage is being cobbled together for dramatic effect rather than accurate story telling. Very disappointing indeed. It could have been so much better without this Disney twist. And giving the animals human names like Esmeralda is downright nauseating. I wish there was a version of this series without narration, it would be so much better and less manipulative. This kind of program encourages the worst kind of romanticized views of a natural world that is already being destroyed by humans!

Our family very much enjoyed this documentary. Amazing cinematography and animal close-ups, engaging story lines, and moments of suspense and surprise. The naming of the animals was very helpful when following the complex family dynamics and interactions with the various generations. Don't worry about the "anthropomorphism" mentioned by another reviewer - this technique was pioneered by Jane Goodall, and is now very much accepted by the scientific community (it was shunned back in the 60s because of people wanting to believe in the superiority of humans). As primatologists and neurobiologists have said, animals and humans share behaviors, and giving animals names has helped us understand their unique communities, cultures, and emotions. Very inspiring series to help us appreciate the natural world around us.

The camera work is well done and pulls the viewer in. The writing and narration is irritating, treating the animals like they are cute little human characters, cartoon-like, ugh. It's called anthropomorphizing, and it's tedious and juvenile. Too bad, really. This series could have been amazing. Structuring the series into 3 parts for 3 seasons works, though one wonders why the 4th season (winter) was not done. In the end, the series is worth watching for the visuals. There is some helpful information in the narration if you can stomach the disrespectful treatment of the animals in the writing.

I really enjoyed everything about this documentary, including the narration. You might have an issue with this documentary if you think only humans can lead complex lives. But if this is your viewpoint maybe you shouldn't bother watching a show about such primitive creatures. I never realized there are people who seem to be upset at the concept that animals other than humans can have feelings and emotions.

As for the reviewer who claims the discussion in this documentary about the effects of climate change is nonsense - I live on Vancouver Island, currently we are experiencing a record setting drought. Last summer it was a heat dome.