★ 6 / 10
Drama or documentary?
Horst_In_Translation
"Baumlöwen" or "Tree Climbing Lions", written and directed by Katie Bauer Murdock for whom it was the first of only two filmmaking credits so far, is an…
"Baumlöwen" or "Tree Climbing Lions", written and directed by Katie Bauer Murdock for whom it was the first of only two filmmaking credits so far, is an American documentary from the United States that was released in December 2018, so it is a bit over five years old now and according to imdb at this point, it is a German-language production although I do not think this is correct. Probably somebody watched the German version here that was provided by Disney+ who are behind the production of this little movie. The people you see in here seem to be talking English in the original. This includes Alexander Braczkowski, who could very well be from Germany given the name, put my more likely guess is that he is American with Polish root probably. You really see him from beginning to end of this film. It can still be considered a short film or short documentary as it runs for slightly over 44 minutes and what it is all about can be read in the title of the film. Lions and the ones we see in here are in Uganda in the middle of Africa. I must say I am not exactly an expert on the question if and how often lions climb up trees but the way they elaborated on it here, especially at the beginning, it does not seem to be too often the case. They also did not find a definite explanation yet why the ones here to it. There were guesses that had to do with slightly lower temperatures up there or with less flies up there or with them being in better positions to spot potential prey. Maybe it is a mix of all these things.
I liked about this documentary how in-between on quite a few occasions, it provided interesting information snippets on lions in general, like how many cubs they have, how you can keep them apart etc. It is probably no content or knowledge that you have never heard on another lion documentary, but if we are honest, then how often do you watch those exactly? Surely not more frequently than once a year an that seems already a bit of a stretch, so probably even less often. What I did not like about this documentary was how it felt almost like a long Youtube video at times with the wild camera work and dramatization. I am not saying they made any of this up or at least I do not hope so, but I am mostly talking there about an injured female lion that they have to catch and give some medical treatment too and also another female lion where they cannot be sure where one of her cubs is and they wonder if it is missing. At the very end almost, there is the relief then when we understand that the cub has returned and apparently been with another female grown-up lion that took care of it for a while as some kind of proxy mother. Which is not uncommon for lions apparently, but also does not happen all the time and especially not for as many days as it did here. But if we go back to the injured lion, then I must say the wound looked pretty bad and also what was up with her ear. Good news they managed to help her and perhaps she will really have several cubs in the future than that never would have lived if she had died from her wound. But still, there it was too exaggerated again for my liking when we see Braczkowski driving fast in his car and being filmed at the same time and of course having to be at the center of the action when the people working there and fully in charge carry the lion from one place to another. The worst dramatization was maybe the scene with the vultures until the relief happens that they are not there for the lion in question, but for a dead hippopotamus. Man, that was huge too. I like them and felt a bit sorry there for sure, but well this is nature too.
Or maybe the worst in the sense of saddest moment was what happened at the end of the documentary then when we find out through words on the screen that many lions and their cubs got killed by people who own cattle apparently and were scared the lions might kill said cattle. Or even killed some already. But still, despite this shock, the documentary ends on a high note as we find out a new female lion has settled in the area with actually pretty many cubs. This is good news, but what we need to keep in mind is that this film is from several years ago, but yeah I hope the aforementioned female lion is still alright and same for her kinds. Surely, some of those are mal lions too that you do not find out about too much during this documentary. Maybe some form of emancipation too? Anyway, there is only this one male lion relatively early who we find out a little bit about who is 2.5 years old it was I think or was 2.5 years old I should say. That makes him 7.5 years old now. Back then, he was going through puberty and his mane kept growing. I wonder what he looks like today. Anyway, he was not mentioned again in the documentary afterwards. This is all then. I like nature documentaries, even if I do not have gigantic interests in lions, but it was an alright watch overall and the thumbs-up was never in doubt, even if I still feel that this could have been a better outcome with a different approach to certain things. But hey, it's Disney and not NatGeo or the Discovery Channel, so it's all good.
Read full review
★ 1 / 10
Misleading title & waste of time. Cameraman mire interested in his own fame than filming lions
cgtam
This "film" is what one expects for " behind scenes clips". It's also fictional & complete waste of time. Viewer never gets any answers, incl title. I agree…
This "film" is what one expects for " behind scenes clips". It's also fictional & complete waste of time. Viewer never gets any answers, incl title. I agree with the other 1 star review.
This camera dude has ZERO knowledge of lions yet he goes & tries to film them by doing everything wrong, endangering the entire pride,& ultimately FAILS to film them in any worth while manner.
One sees more of HIM on screen than lions. Filmed in 2018, he chooses to stupidly use bright lighting at night, not night vision cameras. He barely uses his drone, & buzzes it 1 foot from lion's face who is resting high up in tree. Would you like big buzzing drone circling your head for a long time while trying to rest in branch 20 feet high?
1/2 of entire film is about finding & treating 1 lioness neck, ear & eye severe deep snare injuries. These African snares are placed in millions all over Africa daily for free "bush meat" to sell / eat. That's NOT in film but it IS FACT since yr 2000. Here, Other experts find injured lioness & treat her while he watches, NOT FILMS.
Meanwhile, this rookie cameraman FAILS to show the lionesses severe snare wounds - something ALL PPL including children should see bc this IS what ALL African wildlife must now endure, from elephants who've lost their trunks & cannot drink, to cheetahs, leopards, rhinos, & Wild Cape Dogs who get horribly caught daily in these inhumane barbed wire snares.
Again, Not in this film, 1 wild female Cape dog died bc the snare ripped off her skin, spine, & 1/2 of her back body. Cape dogs run 40 to 50 mph, & human guards cannot keep up. Lethally wounded Cape dog had cubs, her K9 sister stayed with her until she died from horrific wounds. There was nothing the packs' assigned rangers could do except watch her die next to her loving sibling. Again, NOT in this film but VIP TO SEE THE SUFFERING WILDLIFE endures even with devoted armed escort rangers.
My point IS SHOW the deep snare wounds of the lioness to EDUCATE ppl. There's NO blood since she bled out for 4 days already.
As ppl push out wildlife globally, ppl need to see the real problems to solve.
Africans, esp those residing on national parks, know how to make these snares & place them literally in every wildlife /game park. Here, lioness was just walking when she stepped on the hidden trigger causing barbed wire snare to snap up around her neck & face,
At the end of THIS WASTE of time, the ignorant cameraman said the lioness "is going to be OK because she's eating." That shows the depth of his total LACK of knowledge of any big cat.
10 minutes after getting most basic aid ((antibiotic ointment) does NOT mean 2 inch deep circular gash that nearly cut off her ear, gashed her eye & 3/4 of her neck = full recovery.
Since her eye is cut badly, she's likely blind in that eye & may not be able to hunt by herself or with pride. No one checked her injured eye..
Only the healthiest lions survive on this increasing human planet where ppl remove lions' prey, add 2 YRS DRY SEASON common now due to climate change, resulting only the hardiest toughest survive, not injured or lightly disabled.
Top predators have to work very hard to survive BEFORE 1980s. Now in 2023, or film's time 2018, it's FAR WORSE.
Def SKIP THIS INSIPID FICTIONAL "film".
Nat Geo should be embarrassed to have funded/ bought it.
Watch better docs with devoted big cat experts who actually KNOW many facts of wildlife being filmed bc they've spent decades
IN THE FIELD & collaborations with other experts before making a film.
THIS DUDE IS CLUELESS LIKE THIS "film."
Read full review
★ 1 / 10
Ruthless and inhumane
mishelarora-06727
This is the most inhumane and insensitive documentary I have ever watched. The camera team is continuously making up fake stories and logics to cover up their…
This is the most inhumane and insensitive documentary I have ever watched. The camera team is continuously making up fake stories and logics to cover up their misbehavior towards the animals. They flash lights at the night while lions are hunting resulting in lost prey and distorting the animals by bothering them resulting in a lost cub as well. The anchor gives illogical reasoning all along for his behavior, keeps on bothering the animals, and actually behaves insensitively towards the animal just for a good screen story. The narrator seems to have absolutely no knowledge about the whole thing..
Read full review
80%
AUDIENCE
6.4/10
55
