David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet

Name: David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet
Genre: Biography, Documentary
Released: October 4, 2020
Duration: 83 min
Rating: 72
Cast: David Attenborough

2020

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 5 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 31 Ratings

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8.5

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8.5	User Score Universal acclaim based on 31 Ratings

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David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet

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Movie Details & Credits

Netflix | Release Date (Streaming): October 4, 2020 | PG

Starring: David Attenborough

Summary: In his 94 years, David Attenborough has visited every continent on the globe, exploring the wild places of our planet and documenting the living world in all its variety and wonder. Now, for the first time he reflects upon both the defining moments of his lifetime as a naturalist and the devastating changes he has seen.

Director: Alastair Fothergill and Jonathan Hughes and Keith Scholey

Genre(s): Biography, Documentary

Rating: PG

Runtime: 83 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

Natalia Winkelman

Oct 6, 2020

The film’s grand achievement is that it positions its subject as a mediator between humans and the natural world. Life cycles on, and if we make the right choices, ruin can become regrowth. Read full review

The Guardian Cath Clarke

Oct 6, 2020

It is a personal film – and political, too. There is emotion and urgency in that familiar soothing voice. Read full review

Brian Lowry

Oct 6, 2020

There's always the risk of sounding preachy in this sort of exercise in a way that scares off those who can be reached, or perhaps worse, being unduly optimistic. Attenborough finds a middle ground. Read full review

IndieWire David Ehrlich

Oct 8, 2020

Our planet is a finite place, and our lives on it are finite, too. The twilight of Attenborough’s time here speaks to that truth so beautifully that you wish this documentary had more to say about it. Read full review

The Telegraph Tim Robey

Oct 8, 2020

It has a whistle-stop quality, and you sometimes wish it would slow down to savour more personal details, rather than dishing out brisk bullet points from this amazing life. Read full review

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User Reviews

Konan

Oct 4, 2020

A fantastic and moving picture of the limited time we have left to make real change.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Haymitsh

Oct 4, 2020

A movie which shows us what’s important and needs to be done. A masterpiece of David Attenborough and his crew. They manage to show the viewer an image of the fragile world that’s needed to be seen an spread around the world. Truly a movie which 2020 needed.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

mrnice

Oct 5, 2020

A very beautiful documentary about the most pressing crisis of our time. The nature footage is touchingly beautiful. Attenborough's comments are crucial and on-point.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

8isalotoflegs

Oct 13, 2020

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Quite possibly David Attenborough’s most sobering and somber movie But easily his best. Watch in a kind of horrific awe in what he has seen, and the devastation that human kind have visited upon this earth. It’s no longer a fight for the planet, it’s a fight for human beings to continue to exist.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JackytheRipper

Oct 14, 2020

Part autobiography, part documentary of the changes in the natural world, this film is beautiful and sad, impressive and eye-opening. It's clear, David Attenborough had a hell of a career and still has a mission.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

wheeelertron

Apr 11, 2021

Sir David Attenborough summarises his work and understanding here in this empathetic and well-produced appeal to humanity, for once no understatement from him; Stop abusing the planet and it's ecosystems or risk system-collapse and the beginning of a mass extinction event that maybe we willSir David Attenborough summarises his work and understanding here in this empathetic and well-produced appeal to humanity, for once no understatement from him; Stop abusing the planet and it's ecosystems or risk system-collapse and the beginning of a mass extinction event that maybe we will not survive (the planet will carry on regardless)… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Brent_Marchant

Apr 7, 2021

Legendary broadcaster, documentarian and naturalist David Attenborough's self-described "witness statement" summarizes the 93-year-old filmmaker's experience in unwittingly documenting the accelerating decline of the planet's biodiversity (and overall health) during his lifetime. In doingLegendary broadcaster, documentarian and naturalist David Attenborough's self-described "witness statement" summarizes the 93-year-old filmmaker's experience in unwittingly documenting the accelerating decline of the planet's biodiversity (and overall health) during his lifetime. In doing so, he presents his career of findings and a grim forecast for the future unless we change our ways to "re-wild" the earth and adopt sustainable ways of living in order to prevent an irreversible environmental catastrophe. While the message here is indeed important, the warning urgent, the suggested solutions achievable and the cinematography stunning (for better or worse), the overall production feels rather familiar for it to really stand out as groundbreaking, coming across more like a highly polished but not particularly revelatory cable television documentary than the kind of profound, startling offering that one would expect to see in a theater. The first half also meanders more that it probably should, not quite on par with the better-focused second half in which the material is delivered in a more direct and cogent manner. Mind you, this is not to suggest this offering is without merits, but the praise that has been heaped upon it seems more generous than it probably deserves to be.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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