On Borrowed Time
Environmental Film Festival Plot: A life or death quest for water is under way in Tanzania. The Ruaha River is dry and the few remaining ponds are teeming with thirsty, desperate animals. The extreme drought of the savanna has forced an old lioness and her pride to leave the plain in search of food, all senses sharpened. Lions on Edge gives viewers a front row seat to the predator vs. prey struggle for survival in dire conditions. A NatGeo Wild Production.
Craig Sechler guides us through the wilds of Tanzania in Lions on Edge, a fascinating (often harsh) examination of desperation and survival, featuring an all-star lineup of animals (elephants, giraffes and lions) with a heavy emphasis on the latter. Six months of drought produces, "a life or death quest for water," where, "hunger has abolished all the rules." Expect plenty of (sometimes graphic) death, moments of humor and a whole lot of tears (one word... Junior.) It ends on a high note; but the road to happiness is paved with difficulty. One thing's for sure: Humans have it easy.
Grade: B