Be the Creature (2003– ) User Reviews

Great Show, Unique Perspective

[mhanley7 · 6 March 2004]

I've only caught a few episodes of this show, but I like what I've seen so far. The Kratt brothers are probably best known for their kid shows, Zaboomafoo and Kratt's Creatures, but this show is definitely more oriented toward an adult audience. (Don't make my mistake-- the first time I saw it I called in my young son, just in time for him to see a chimp bite the head off a monkey. Oops.) Unlike many nature documentaries where the film crew remains out of sight and voiceover narration is added later, the Kratts address the camera directly while filming their subjects. It's a very subjective approach that runs the risk of having the filmmakers compete with their material for attention, but in this case it works. The lack of distance (literally) between the Kratts and the animals they're focusing on effectively draws the viewer in at a gut level-- in the chimp episode there's amazing footage from the ground of huge apes swinging violently from treetops that barely look able to support their weight, while the brothers try to dodge other chimps rushing the tree trunks for fallen prey. It's exiting stuff. Add to this the Kratts' far-reaching knowledge of the animals & the environments they inhabit (as well as the brothers' seemingly boundless enthusiasm for their subject), and the result is a really entertaining, informative show.

Filmmakers a huge distraction from the material

[li_brand · 1/10 · 12 March 2007]

This series is more about the Kratt brothers than about the material, in which case the title is quite fitting: "Be the creature". The Kratt brothers are determined to insert themselves into as many scenes as possible by pushing their own faces in front of the camera all the time, jumping like lemurs, throwing snowballs at macaques trying to teach them something(!), sitting with them in the warm water of the springs, running among the animals etc, etc. I find these type of antics by the Kratt brothers a huge distraction from the material, as well as annoying, so much so that I stopped watching this series after a few episodes. Seeing a human amids the most beautiful scenes or animals not only distracts, it also destroys the aesthetic and emotional appeal of the scenes.

Isn't this type of behaviour by the Kratt brothers irresponsible? Tourists might want to do the same things in future. Aren't we suppose to respect nature and it's animals by keeping a respectful, not interfering, distance as far as possible? David Attenborough is one of the few filmmakers/narrators who could manage to be seen in video-material without being a distraction or annoyance. I never saw him performing unnecessary tricks among animals, he always "downdressed" (famous blue shirt and white pants) so that he would not draw attention to himself and knew his facts. He also never bores with telling us the obvious or general knowledge stuff.

I believe most nature lovers actually want to see the animals in their natural state, not humans inserting themselves everywhere because they crave fame. Although a huge fan and collector of documentaries about nature, history, culture etc, this series will not be added to my collection.