‘Born in China’ Offers a Moving Look at Family in the Wild

Aryeh Harris-Shapiro

Disney has come a long way since “White Wilderness,” the infamous 1958 documentary that became notorious for driving lemmings off a cliff to fake a mass suicide. Since 2007’s “Earth” launched the Disneynature label, the company has quietly been releasing beautifully shot, family-oriented peeks at fascinating animals and beautiful landscapes worldwide. “Born in China,” Disneynature and director Chuan Lu’s new film about some of the country’s endangered species, is yet another slim, effective movie with a nuanced perspective on the sacrifices demanded by family and survival.

“Born in China,” along with quick peeks at a few other species, focuses in on three animal families and follows them as the seasons change over the course of an entire year. As with most of Disneynature’s work, voiceover narration—this time by “The Office” alum John Krasinski—humanizes the animals and builds relatable stories around their lives. A mother panda is presented as a helicopter parent, struggling to reconcile her protective instincts with her cub’s growing independence. A two-year-old golden monkey becomes the prodigal son, abandoning his family when his little sister is born and taking up with a ragtag group of mischievous “lost boys.” And, in the film’s toughest thread, a snow leopard becomes a tough single mom as she battles the elements and encroaching competitors to feed her growing children.

As with most Disneynature projects, this isn’t an objective, scientific look at animals in the wild. No doubt the production has consciously shaped these narratives through writing and editing. But you can always watch the new episodes of “Planet Earth” if that’s what you want. “Born in China” is unabashedly aimed at families, modeling human relationships through animals to help children understand both the wild and their own homes. The result isn’t high art, but it is a commendable way to get children invested in the wonderful but rapidly deteriorating natural world. The movie doesn’t hit you over the head with its environmental message, but the filmmakers clearly care about their subjects, enough to donate a small portion of their first-week receipts to the World Wildlife Fund.

Environmentalists might be frustrated with this film, and for a good reason. The movie turns a blind eye to the human forces driving these animals towards extinction, possibly to ensure the film’s commercial viability in the Chinese market. It’s also possible that the filmmakers simply didn’t want to burden their young audience with the possibility that these beautiful creatures might die out. The omission is worrying, but “Born in China” sneaks past your critical faculties to hit you right in the heart with beautiful imagery and one surprisingly tough ending that’s sure to make some children very sad. And if the idea of monkeys walking around on two feet through the snow to avoid cold hands doesn’t make you want to go out and buy a ticket, you might be a lost cause anyway.

“Born in China” opens nationwide April 21.