Those ecosystems ravaged by human industrialization and expansion are a greater force than you’d think. Netflix’s newest nature documentary, Our Great National Parks, addresses this. With the proper protection and changes, any ecosystem can rebound. Narrated by Barack Obama, this is a truly inspirational series showcasing the goals and achievements of conservation.
Our Great National Parks
The series comes in 5 episodes, just over 50 minutes each. They cover four specific national parks in depth, following a briefer general episode. These four parks are as follows:
- The Chilean Patagonia
- Tsavo, Kenya
- Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
- Gunung Leuser, Indonesia
In addressing these four, they emphasize the research, practices, dynamics, and interactions that occur within each complex and different ecosystem. In fact, being able to research such ecosystems properly allows scientists to redefine their perspectives of animal behaviour. Doing so enables them to make even greater protection decisions in the future.
The entirety of the show reveals gorgeous moving cinematography. The producers employed many full landscape and drone shots for a variety of perspectives. Many of these scenes are just breathtaking, which emphasises the importance of protecting such sceneries. Cinematography is the first quality I look for in world documentaries, and this series handles it spectacularly.
Our Great National Parks’ Tone
Barack Obama is a highly skilled speaker, which is a trait necessary for presidency and leadership in general. However, I’ve seen many individuals online disagree. While I’d say that his voice fits the inspirational and informational tone of the series, many reviews I found believed the opposite. It’s really up to personal preference, as there was a mix of positive and negative feedback on his voice. I want to note however, many negative reviews gave 1 star, while just criticizing his voice and nothing else. Therefore, its likely that some of these were only negative due to Obama’s political affiliations.
Regardless of American Politics, the message of the series is still vital to address. If we initiate the proper protective measures, we can counteract years of damage to ecosystems. If humans suddenly disappeared, nature would not care. It would regrow and find it’s balance. However, despite this hypothetical that will never happen being a fun discussion topic, we’re still here. Therefore, we have to coexist with protecting wildlife, and living our own individual lives.
As with most nature documentaries, it spins descriptive narration for each animal it depicts. This creates that engagement, with a tight flowing storyline. I’d say all of the production elements kept my attention, with its narration, visuals, pacing, and fitting music. I want to specifically mention how gorgeous the soundtrack was, complementing the mood with captivating drama.
What are the Criticisms?
Our Great National Parks does a very good job as a documentary, though the information isn’t insanely revolutionary. The production is like any other nature documentary, but with a twist narrator. I don’t think Obama’s narration in the series is as strong as his peak orating abilities. Regardless, he’s still engaging and it’s enjoyable to hear a newer voice. Part of me wishes there was more about conservation and specific practices. A deeper dive could be more useful for average city-dwelling citizens. However, there isn’t enough time to address everything with these parks, with how complex the ecosystems are.
If you’re a nature lover, I’d heavily recommend watching this. If you’re not, I’d still recommend it, unless you’re on the complete opposite end of the spectrum. However, I’ve never met an avid nature hater. It reveals ample information to shift your perspectives, and teaches a lot within its short span. It’s not groundbreaking, but the production, cinematography, and overall freshness had created a fantastic new documentary series.
