The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos (2008)
Average Rating: 6.4/10
Reviews Counted: 16
Fresh: 14 | Rotten: 2
No consensus yet.
Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 1
Fresh: 1 | Rotten: 0
liked it
Average Rating: 3.7/5
User Ratings: 284
Movie Info
This documentary focusing on one of the world's most fascinating birds was released as one of the first features from Disneynature, a banner of Walt Disney Studios that aims to produce awe-inspiring documentaries for the entire family. Follow a lone chick to northern Tanzania, where a million crimson-winged flamingos converge to keep their species going strong in one of the most elaborate and amazing mating rituals on the planet. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Watch It Now
ADVERTISEMENT
All Critics (18) | Top Critics (2) | Fresh (14) | Rotten (2) | DVD (4)
This one's a corker: the cinematography is exquisite; it's admirably devoid of any overt anthropomorphism; the narration, while a little too mythical in context, is informative.
Top CriticFrom Disneynature comes this well-intentioned yet hopelessly underwhelming documentary...
The G-rated film (despite its content shortcomings) works well as an educational vehicle for younger viewers.
The documentary rarely flinches, showing exactly how outside forces slip in and feast on the weaker flamingos. It's ghastly, but hey, that's nature.
The script is more mystical than factual - the subtitle is Mystery Of The Flamingos - which can be cloying to those of us raised on Attenborough. But this is still a breathtakingly beautiful reflection on the fragile nature of life.
The Crimson Wing is a Disney nature film. Be aware of this and all that goes with it and you might yet discover the ennobling documentary hidden beneath the wretched excess.
If the narration is sometimes laid on a little thick, there remains something fascinating about these curious, balletic creatures.
This fascinating film shows the vast flocks of pink flamingos that breed on the isolated shores of Lake Natron in northern Tanzania.
This elegant doc does for flamingos what March Of The Penguins did for their Antarctic counterparts.
Much of it seems suitable only for adults or sophisticated children who have been taught about survival of the fittest, but the narration becomes childishly anthropomorphic.
While it's great to look at, the over-cooked narration (the birds don't die, their life force returns to the lake) plus a TV-doc vibe makes it somewhat less watchable than that famous penguin movie.
It shows a painterly eye in frame after exquisitely judged frame, not afraid of economy and balance.
The filmmakers deserve praise for refusing to sugar-coat the harsh realities of the flamingos' existence.
It's respectful of nature, not sentimental. Nor is it overly analytical. The narration - read by Mariella Frostrup - is informative, but the film has been constructed in a more poetic, mythical way.
A film of ravishing images and fascinating facts although David Attenborough's BBC work is just as impressive.
A solid example of that most endangered of species -- a well-made family film.
Audience Reviews for The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos
Super Reviewer
Discussion Forum
There are no discussion threads for The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos yet.
What's Hot On RT
Pictures from a zombie nation
Woody Allen in San Francisco
See the Desolation of Smaug trailer!
Where does This Is the End rank?
Fresh Links
Featured
Movie: ID: 770809777 Title: The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos Release Date: 2008-12-17 00:00:00.0 MPAA: 1 Status: 1
The Looks of Johnny Depp
To celebrate the star's birthday, BuzzSugar looks at the many faces of Johnny Depp.
10 Egregious Product Placements
Rolling Stone wonders if The Internship goes too far... then provides 10 examples of movies that did.
Horror Movie Mistakes
Moviefone offers up 8 of the most obvious glaring errors in popular fright flicks.
10 Bad Movies That Look Great
Sometimes even terrible movies can be beautiful; here are 10 of them, from HitFix.
50 Most Classic Movie Moms
In celebration of Mother's Day, TimeOut offers up 50 iconic matriarchs from the big screen.
Promos
Follow RT on Twitter!
Spice up your feed with hourly Tomatometer updates!
Featured on RT
- Video Interviews with Cast & Crew of Monsters University 0
- Digital Multiplex: 21 & Over, Quartet, and More 1
- RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: Jack the Giant Slayer and Quartet 23
- Box Office Guru Wrapup: Man of Steel Sets June Record 101
- Weekly Ketchup: Man of Steel Sequel In the Works 192
- Five Favorite Films with Joss Whedon 127
- Bonus Footage of the Cast & Crew of Man of Steel 1
Top Headlines
Foreign Titles
- Das Geheimnis der Flamingos (DE)
- Les Ailes pourpres : le mystère des flamants (FR)
