Disneynature Monkey Kingdom Movie Review

Reviewed by Lynn Barker on Apr 19, 2015

Rating:

Kidzworld checked out the new Disneynature film Monkey Kingdom. Will you feel a part of the struggle and victories of these funny, loveable and very relatable creatures?

By: Lynn Barker

Cliques, Jealousy, peer pressure, mean girls, falling for guys who leave...is this part of your life? Welcome to Monkey Kingdom where low-born Maya falls for Kumar and has to deal with a mean rich girl sisterhood on a daily basis.

Some of Maya's family in their castle caveCourtesy of Disney

Story Goes

In an abandoned, ancient palace deep in the jungles of Sri Lanka, dwells a big family of macaque monkeys. Heroine Maya, a young, low-born monkey girl, has to follow the social pecking order by living at the base a big fig tree foraging for scraps dropped by Raja the alpha male of the group and The Sisterhood, a clique of well-fed groupies who hang with Raja. She must let the royal babies jump all over her and not complain. Maya’s life kinda sucks.

Waiting out the rainCourtesy of Disney

When hot new-boy-in-town Kumar tries to join the troupe, Maya falls hard. He is rejected by the rest of the gang and leaves. Six months later, Maya has a cute baby boy named Kip. Now she is a single mom using every clever resource she can think of to feed her baby as a rough gang of out-of-town monkeys arrive and try to take over her family’s turf. What adventures will Maya and her son have? Will Kumar return? Will Maya ever rise up the social ladder to eat from the top of the tree?

Some of the sisters care for babyCourtesy of Disney

Wrapping Up

Monkey Kingdom is wonderful due to great cinematography and a lively and involving narration by funnywoman Tina Fey whose voice completely represents exactly what each monkey must be thinking and saying. Whether representing a funny, snarky or sad moment, Tina’s narration is spot on and totally enjoyable.

Ahhh it's good to be the king says RajaCourtesy of Disney

In addition to awe-inspiring shots of beautiful jungle vistas and close-up monkey antics, the film’s music is great including the upbeat theme from the ‘60’s TV show “The Monkees” and other familiar tunes that perfectly match the action. There is also a Taylor Swift tune over the end credits.

BabysittingCourtesy of Disney

You not only meet monkeys but other critters they share their shrinking habitat with; elephants, peacocks, scorpions, a hungry and huge monitor lizard and some cute sloth bears and a mongoose.

Maya uses clever ways to get foodCourtesy of Disney

Maya and her troupe experience moments of tension, happy play, sad mourning and yes, even romance. Most of the action is probably “real” and other adventures, like a monkey visit to semi-wreck a human birthday party in order to eat yummy treats, might have been staged but it won’t matter. All the action is involving to watch. Be sure to stay through the end credits for scenes of the filmmakers shooting the movie. Part of your ticket purchase goes toward protecting the habitat for monkeys in Sri Lanka and other conservation efforts. What’s not to like? We go five stars.