Secrets of the Elephants Review: Natalie Portman Emotionally Connects Us to the Huge Relatable Creatures

Secrets of the Elephants Review: Narrated by Natalie Portman, the 4-part mini National Geographic wildlife documentary series, now also streaming on Disney Plus, is indeed a grand project for which James Cameron (Avatar), Maria Wilhelm, Lucinda Axelsson, and Caroline Hawkins join as executive producers. With experts Dr Paula Kahumbu and Dr Farina Othman relaying intricate details of the lovable creatures, Josh Helliker directs and produces the episodes, while Tom Howe is responsible for the spectacular music of the series.

-Secrets of the Elephants Review Does Not Contain Spoilers-

All 4 episodes are not only an educational account captured to sensitise us towards elephants and how our actions ultimately impact their living or even endanger their safety, but also draw us closer to these majestic creatures that are a lot more like us than we’d expected.

Secrets of the Elephants Review: Discussion

Mapping out their existence pattern all through numerous locations in the world from Savanna, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Republic of Congo to Thailand and Sri Lanka in Asia, the mini docuseries allows us to peek into the various elephant communities and how their significant differences arise out of how they adapt to these varying living conditions. The picturesque and awe-inspiring beauty of the series is brought alive through their stories that are accompanied by a mind-boggling cinematography and music that instantly evoke goosebumps.

The best part of their lives’ portrayal is that from the get go Portman makes it a point to highlight the extent of the similarities we as humans share with them. Their ultimate success in making it through the harsh conditions they have to live in impinges on the strength of their relationships with each other. From the onset, they’re introduced as sociable animals with sharp and keen intelligence, leaving the watcher stunned in the best way possible.

As children, we’re often taught about the various sounds made by different animals. However, it all takes shape as noise in our minds because we don’t understand their tongue, and our human tendency pushes us to believe them to be foreign existences despite our knowledge of them co-existing with us. By informing us that elephants (especially the ones inhabiting Savanna) are driven by their need to be a part of a big family, which we may understand as a joint family, Dr Paula Kahumbu also reminds us that their means of communication with each other is “not just noise. It has meaning”, much like ours.

In case of those elephants that lose their families due to exploitation at the hands of human beings, many resort to forming ‘found family’ clans just like us. By bringing in this friendly recognition, the series is constantly aiding our acknowledgement of them forming communities that have deep-rooted culture much like ours. And watching these heart-touching bonds unravel on screen becomes an all too familiar experience for us that is deeply moving and affectionate.

This personal touch to the documentary is complemented by the dynamic visualisation of nature, which sometimes is also pictured as being static, like in the case of deserts. It’s all done deliberately to lay emphasis on the climatic and topographical changes that may appear pristine and sublime to us as outsiders looking in, but for the elephants they become factors influencing their grand lifestyle.

Moreover, by introducing names of some of these elephants, the documentary ascribes them the position of protagonists in their own stories, while also making us root for them, and sometimes even making us laugh at their antics (not disparagingly). Moments like when we witness them making a steep descent or relying on each other to make a quick escape become all the more personal and heart-rending. Then watching them enjoy mud baths or sprinkle dust on themselves as natural ‘sunscreens’ in the heat becomes yet another charmingly endearing instance that makes the viewing experience fun.

Final Thoughts

Although the educational gravitas is definitely there and it brings us closer to their respective realities, reminding us that despite their gigantic size, they don’t have it easy, the series also draws our attention to their familial relatability purposely. This pushes our mindset to look out for them and despite our relatively smaller size and existence, we’re even more responsible for protecting them.

Again, our human tendency is just as much a boon to us as it is a bane. It prohibits us from looking out for anything or anyone until we’re able to empathetically relate with them. The last episode once more leaves us with the image of them executing their intelligence for sustenance as their survival instincts kick in, and it’s a sight to behold that is equally jaw-dropping. One of the final and best messages left for us to ponder over is that while they may be getting by one way or another in this human-dominated landscape now, “their long-term future may depend on us understanding them as individuals” more than ever.

Secrets of the Elephants is now streaming on Disney Plus.

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