Overall this was good, narration was really good and so to was the photography. The one bit I did find annoying, which detracted from the documentary som what was some of the dumb sound effects e.g. helicopter sounds when following a beetle flying, or the 1950 sound effect of punching added to beetles fighting. To me, it was totally unnecessary.

Be prepared to see the full circle of life. Excellent program.

The movie takes a heartbreaking turn for the worst toward the end and I can't help thinking why the filmmakers couldn't intervene to rescue the young elephant calf Mimi as they watched her succumb to the drought right before their eyes. They are an endangered species, for heaven's sake.

Another scene seared on my mind is when the herd, on the way back to Athena's kingdom hoping for the rainy season, stop to pay tribute to a fallen fellow elephant by rubbing their trunks on its skull. It was utterly surreal.