Good, but not Bambi
The plot, which follows the life of a female polar bear from birth to to her giving birth, is as thin as the ham in an Irish sandwich, and as predictable as hot weather in Phoenix in July. This weakness is more than compensated for by superb photography, which carries the message. The Arctic ice, upon which the lives of these animals depend, is melting. Queen Latifah is disappointing as narrator. Unlike Morgan Freeman sober, somber "Penguins," Queen is light, sassy and often distracting. The musical score sometimes fits and often misses. Offsetting Queen and the music, however, is the brief and brilliant postscript, featuring individual grade schoolers, each with an individual but related message. They pack more punch in four minutes than Queen does in 92. These last four minutes and the hour and a half of stunning images by National Geographic photographers, make Arctic Tale worth seeing.