Prédateurs

Not 'just another wildlife documentary'. The filming is fantastic, with crews on-site over a full year for each episode, and there is new information in every one. But the writing varies wildy between colloquial and formal in tone and overall is more typical of some of the cheaper sentimental documentaries. It makes you realise that one of the things that made David Attenborough's documentaries so good was the avoidance of sentimental personifications and idle speculations about what the animals might be thinking or feeling. But the filming and educational value is so good it's best to overlook all of that in this case.

Predators is a masterful nature documentary that follows five apex predators-cheetahs, lions, polar bears, pumas, and wild dogs-as they struggle to survive in a changing world. Narrated by Tom Hardy, the series blends stunning cinematography with powerful storytelling, capturing intimate family moments and thrilling survival dramas . We witness mothers teaching cubs, packs coordinating hunts, and individuals facing harsh challenges-moments that make us smile, gasp, and ache with emotion. The series offers an emotional roller coaster: heartwarming bonds, breathtaking visuals, and raw, authentic narratives. While its pacing may feel uneven to some viewers, the life stories it tells are unforgettable. A must-watch for anyone drawn to wildlife's beauty and complexity.

I've read the other reviews on IMDb, and I think most people stopped watching after the 1st or 2nd episode. I agree that those episodes were not good, but I'm glad I pushed through.

In all episodes, the camera quality is phenomenal. Some reviewers didn't like Tom Hardy's narration, but I don't feel that way. I think his voice was perfectly appropriate, never monotonous or overly enthusiastic. My biggest problem is the pacing. I think each episode could have been trimmed by 10-15 minutes.

The first 2 episodes, Cheetah & Lion, cover animals that are so commonly covered in documentaries that they present no new information at all. To make it worse, for those 2 episodes, the camera crews weren't lucky enough to capture any particularly epic hunts, so these episodes drag on and probably aren't worth watching.

Episodes 4-5 are much better, though they are still slow-paced. Episode 3, Puma, has no new information, but the guanaco hunt at the climax is jaw-dropping. Episode 4, Polar Bear, covers bears hunting beluga whales, which I have never seen before. Episode 5 covers the rarely covered African Wild Dog.

In the end, I wish I had skipped or skimmed through the first 2 episodes, but the last 3 were well worth the watch.

This series shows some excellent filming of wild predators in their natural environments, with great use of all the latest technology to get close-up shots and to follow animals running at fast speeds. The editing and overall production are pretty good too. However, we don't learn much that we haven't already learnt from previous wildlife shows, and the approach is one which will appeal to the general public rather than the more scientifically-minded viewer. I would have given the series an 8, but the thing that really spoiled it for me was the choice of Tom Hardy to do the commentary. Not only is the content of his commentary fairly tedious and a bit anthropomorphic at times, but he sounds like some TV presenter from the 1950s or 1960s speaking in the RP of those times. Is that his natural voice? Is he trying to sound like David Attenborough? If so, he fails. He comes over really plummy and traditional upper class, and you would have thought that an actor of his experience could have adapted his voice to something more 21st century and cosmopolitan. It's really irritating, and I had to watch with the sound down after a few episodes. If they had to employ a posh English bloke to do the commentary, I think I would have preferred Benedict Cumberbatch.

You either love or hate seeing wildlife predators attacking lesser fierce animals, and if love then this no different from other documentaries of the ilk and camera work is excellent as would expect these days. Only gripe is Tom Hardy for me at least not the best choice, especialy if can't help but imagine him speaking as Bane from Nolans Batman film as listen to the narration (which i think would have added some humor and made more interesting lol) Have given it a 7/10 only for above reason, though if unlike me you are happyy with Hard as narrator its visually stunning and a fascinating look at wildlife predators doing what they do daily, killing or trying to kill slower or less evasive animals in their natural habitat.