Warner Brothers and Imax’s 2018 documentary Pandas tells the story of a panda’s quest to find a home for her species. Kristen Bell narrates the documentary.
The team behind the ‘Pandas’ movie
Don’t get us wrong, the film isn’t your usual action-adventure film. It tells a real-life story depicting the struggle to fit into an unknown world, similar to what the character Po experienced in the movie Kung Fu Panda. The live-action documentary follows the cute, roly-poly Qian Qian, the domesticated panda.
Along with her on the journey are several human characters, including independent wildlife biologist Ben Kilham, Chinese scientist Rong Hou, and the jolly, optimistic, and omniscient voice of Kristen Bell. With jaw-dropping cinematography, compelling narration, and the oh-so-lovely pandas compacted in a 45-minute format, the film summons feelings of awe, wonder, and, ultimately, heartbreak (we’ll get to that later on.)
The documentary film narrates the preparations of Chinese researchers before releasing captive-bred pandas into the wild, which is riddled with hardships, heartaches, and a lot of rolling and eating tons of bamboo. Like a beautiful scrapbook, we see the first two years of her life in stunning shots in the backdrop of the Chinese wilderness in full 3-D.
Accompanying these must-see moments, which encompass pretty much every scene, is Mark Mothersbaugh’s lively composition. The music perfectly blends in with the scenes and evokes appropriate emotions from the audience. And of course, to add a touch of Disney to this real-life fable is Kristen Bell’s voice. She actually voiced Anna in the Disney film Frozen.
Qian in the wild
However, this isn’t a fairy tale story. It’s a true-to-life fight of a panda returning to a home she never knew. Hou Rong and the other specialists aim to train Qian Qian to be ready to take on a world that’s always been hers. China has had success in keeping pandas safe in man-made habitats. However, Hou and her colleagues at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding face a complex problem — how can they reintroduce these creatures born in captivity back into the wild?
Other specialists joining the journey also chip in with their ideas of reintroducing Qian into the wild. Hou Rong adapts Ben Kilham’s reintroduction method for this purpose. American conservation biologist Jake Owens’s expertise in rugged terrains is also crucial for their reintroduction. But the heart and soul of the documentary lie in the perspective of the giant panda cub Qian Qian. She’s sweet and innocent, her human friends love her, and every time she interacts with them, you’ll be hooked.
Hou Rong and the other specialists’ purpose is to train Qian Qian to be ready to take on a world that’s always been hers. (Image: Screenshot via YouTube)
You’ll watch her learn to climb trees and do other activities, mainly sitting around and eating bamboo. But by the end of the film, the emptiness in your heart will kick in as you watch Qian Qian left alone, fending for herself, and not knowing if she can survive in the wilderness. Looking into her eyes, you’ll see she’s not the panda cut out for this.
Still, we love this film for its honesty and non-sugary climax. It may have left a dent in our hearts, but it just gives us hope that one day, many pandas like Qian Qian will roam in the wild, like they were meant to.
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