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AFRICAN CATSMovie Reviews
Documentary about how three large African cats -- a lioness, a leopard and a cheetah -- contend with and teach their cubs. Cast:Samuel L. JacksonDirector:Alastair Fothergill, Keith ScholeyRelease Date:April 22, 2011DVD Release:October 4, 2011From:DisneynatureRating:GLength:1 hr 29 min
African Cats played to good reviews. • Rafer Guzman wrote in New York Newsday, "As a way of introducing children to the brutality of life with a minimum of bloodshed, the film works quite nicely. Its cameras never linger too long..." • And Amy Biancolli wrote in the San Francisco Chronicle, "I'll admit it - it got to me.... takes the viewer on a breathtaking armchair safari ride." More Reviews Below...
Christy Lemire, Associated Press: MODERATE(cg) "...impressive visuals... [but] the images -- and the animals' dramatic interactions -- should speak for themselves. Jackson's narration is constant and overwhelming."(See all of Christy Lemire's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 509 words, 04/21/11
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: EXCELLENT(cg) "...the movie's childification can be (mostly) forgiven... the matter-of-fact, down-to-the-bone, everyday life-and-death circumstances of these African cats are so stirring..."(See all of Lisa Schwarzbaum's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 337 words, 04/22/11
Claudia Puig, USA Today: VERY GOOD(cg) "The photography is so spectacular that the accompanying Disney-ization of wildlife is forgiven.... a wonderful movie for children..."(See all of Claudia Puig's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 493 words, 04/22/11
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (11 Reviews)
Rachel Saltz, New York Times: MODERATE "At one point the lions make a meal of a lovely young zebra they've just killed. That spelled the end for the little boy sitting next to me. 'I'm too scared,' he said..."(See all of Rachel Saltz's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 246 words, 04/22/11
Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times: GOOD "...at times, the script seems a bit contrived... [but] it's an audience-inclusive approach that's enhanced by Samuel L. Jackson's dynamic narration."(See all of Gary Goldstein's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 232 words, 04/22/11
Lou Lumenick, New York Post: VERY GOOD(cg) "Kids will love 'African Cats,' which is full of 'aw' moments. Their parents will appreciate that narrator Samuel L. Jackson keeps things from getting too schmaltzy..."(See all of Lou Lumenick's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 138 words, 04/22/11
Rafer Guzman, New York Newsday: VERY GOOD(cg) "As a way of introducing children to the brutality of life with a minimum of bloodshed, the film works quite nicely. Its cameras never linger too long..."(See all of Rafer Guzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 293 words, 04/22/11
Mike Thomas, Chicago Sun-Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "...hippos, crocodiles, elephants, ostriches, warthogs, wildebeests, gazelles, giraffes, rhinos, a lone giant tortoise, conniving hyenas and assorted airborne inhabitants..."(See all of Mike Thomas's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 476 words, 04/22/11
Nick Schager, Village Voice/LA Weekly: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...visual beauty helps compensate for a script that wastes no opportunity for heartstring tugging... remains committed to addressing the harsh realities..."(See all of Nick Schager's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 566 words, 04/20/11
Peter Howell, Toronto Star: VERY GOOD(cg) "...enough to take your breath away, but not to lose your lunch. The camera spares viewers, especially fearful younger ones, of explicit blood and gore."(See all of Peter Howell's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 602 words, 04/22/11
Rick Groen, Toronto Globe & Mail: VERY GOOD(cg) "...refreshing in its very quaintness.... it's loving too and even comes with a kiddie-friendly narrative that's easy to summarize and hard to dispute."(See all of Rick Groen's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 713 words, 04/22/11
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "The HD footage of the lions and cheetahs - and the rest of the Kenyan wildlife - is consistently stunning. But it shouldn't be taken seriously as a nature doc..."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 206 words, 04/21/11
KEY CITIES (5 Reviews)
Sandie Angulo Chen, Washington Post: VERY GOOD(cg) "It's Earth Day, which means not only teaching children about recycling, but also, of course, settling in for a Disney-produced nature documentary."(See all of Sandie Angulo Chen's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 641 words, 04/22/11
Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer: VERY GOOD(cg) "Though G-rated, I don't think it's suitable for those under 6, and they should be prepared for real animal behavior. But it's deeply involving and primally moving."(See all of Carrie Rickey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 334 words, 04/22/11
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...the splendid images and especially the wonderful sound make 'the Disney version' of the hard life 'lived by tooth and claw' both educational and terrific, kid-friendly..."(See all of Roger Moore's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 430 words, 04/22/11
Tom Russo, Boston Globe: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "Under the direction of BBC wildlife documentary alums Keith Scholey and Alastair Fothergill, it looks majestic throughout, even if its Big Stories are sometimes forced..."(See all of Tom Russo's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 429 words, 04/22/11
Nick Schager, Village Voice/LA Weekly: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...visual beauty helps compensate for a script that wastes no opportunity for heartstring tugging... remains committed to addressing the harsh realities..."(See all of Nick Schager's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 566 words, 04/20/11
Mack Rawden, Cinema Blend: VERY GOOD(cg) "...presents a worthwhile and engaging portrait of life in the wild.... Even with its disjointed narrative, 'African Cats' is still edge of your seat excitement."(See all of Mack Rawden's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 626 words, 04/22/11
Alicia Potter, Boston Phoenix: MODERATE(cg) "Ominous narration by Samuel L. Jackson telegraphs their peril... by the time someone loses an eye, the unflinching footage has more than established the stakes."(See all of Alicia Potter's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 163 words, 04/28/11
Stephanie Zacharek, Movieline: MODERATE(cg) "...doesn't quite do justice to its strange and remarkable subjects. It gets them ready for their close-ups, all right. But it stops short of seeing through to their souls."(See all of Stephanie Zacharek's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 706 words, 04/21/11
Ed Gonzalez, Slant: MODERATE(cg) "...a whole lot of a territory-pissing, some wife-swapping, even a hyena-initiated drive-by that claims the life of a bunch of Sita's cubs."(See all of Ed Gonzalez's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 448 words, 04/17/11
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "The HD footage of the lions and cheetahs - and the rest of the Kenyan wildlife - is consistently stunning. But it shouldn't be taken seriously as a nature doc..."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 206 words, 04/21/11
Rachel Saltz, New York Times: MODERATE "At one point the lions make a meal of a lovely young zebra they've just killed. That spelled the end for the little boy sitting next to me. 'I'm too scared,' he said..."(See all of Rachel Saltz's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 246 words, 04/22/11
Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times: GOOD "...at times, the script seems a bit contrived... [but] it's an audience-inclusive approach that's enhanced by Samuel L. Jackson's dynamic narration."(See all of Gary Goldstein's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 232 words, 04/22/11
MOVIE INDUSTRY (4 Reviews)
Andrew Barker, Daily Variety: EXCELLENT "Astounding wildlife footage is given a kid-friendly narrative hook, but never overly cuddlified... a remarkably cohesive piece of work."(See all of Andrew Barker's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 563 words, 04/18/11
Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times: GOOD "...at times, the script seems a bit contrived... [but] it's an audience-inclusive approach that's enhanced by Samuel L. Jackson's dynamic narration."(See all of Gary Goldstein's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 232 words, 04/22/11
Rachel Saltz, New York Times: MODERATE "At one point the lions make a meal of a lovely young zebra they've just killed. That spelled the end for the little boy sitting next to me. 'I'm too scared,' he said..."(See all of Rachel Saltz's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 246 words, 04/22/11
15.0 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
African Cats's reviews are separated by an average 15.0 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
African Cats (26 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:African Cats's reviews cover 38.7% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 11,273 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 434 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Reviews Broke 54.7 Hours After Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
African Cats's reviews on average broke 54.7 hours after opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is African Cats's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
African Cats (26 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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