Go to the "The Leopard Son" Page

'Leopard': Entertaining in Spots

Naturalist Hugo van Lawick records the birth of a spunky cub, its maturation and coming of age in "The Leopard Son," a noble attempt to bring wildlife adventures back to the big screen. Though van Lawick obviously put enormous effort into the project, the scenic feature differs little from TV's National Geographic specials.

Van Lawick, who followed a mother leopard and her cub for two years, captures the routine of these beautiful animals' lives -- hunting, cleaning, playing, sleeping -- as well as the rhythms and grandeur of Africa's Serengeti Plain. Aside from intimate footage of the leopards, there are encounters with gangs of cheetahs, hyenas, giraffes, elephants, baboons and the leopard's chief rival, lions.

Since the beasts can't explain themselves, the filmmaker offers his own somewhat asinine speculations via narration. Sir John Gielgud, at his most stentorian, delivers van Lawick's floridly written observations in the requisite voice-over. Good thing these two hams added the voice-over in a studio.

The Leopard Son is rated G.