This Disney Studios (Disneynature) feature focuses on a community of about fifty macaque monkeys who inhabit the jungles of Polonnaruwa in Sri Lanka. As they like to dwell around the ancient temple ruins near Castle Rock now overgrown by jungle flora, they are known in the film as the Temple Troop. These monkeys are bound by a caste system, a strict social order that determines even what they eat. In the most prized fig tree, only those at the top capture the best and ripest fruit. Raja, the alpha male, is the king, supported by the three queens (the "Sisterhood") who back him. They and their offspring get what they want. As we descend the tree, the lesser monkeys get the lesser produce. At the bottom of the fig tree lowly Maya gets the scraps. The "high-born" monkeys even get the sunnier, warmer branches while the others shiver on the colder ones below. Before the movie ends Maya will ascend the top of the tree. This is her story.
Lone male monkey Kumar enters the group during mating season, but is expelled by the alpha monkey Raja. Six months later, his offspring through Maya is born ("Kip"). During the heavy downpours of the rainy season Castle Rock makes a great shelter for the alpha monkeys. But the others suffer from the cold and dampness. One day a year is feast time for the lowly, when the termites come out. Cassata leaves are tasty, but only for the alphas. Needing to eat to form milk for Kip, Maya goes to the lily pond, where there is food but also predators. She swims for the tasty lily-seed pods (underwater plants). Eventually Maya and friends enter a human house at the forest edge and take all kinds of foods and leave a mess.
Kumar eventually returns, smarter and stronger. He brings jackfruit as a bribe to Raja, who accepts the gift. Raja will need Kumar as a rival monkey group moves in, led by Rex. But Lex's group wins by tactical trickery and Raja's clan has to evacuate. The troop travels beyond the forest to the city to regroup; Maya becomes a queen as she has learned to take food from the humans. The journey further blurs the distinction between high-born and low-born. Out of their element, the alphas are bewildered, and strong Kumar takes the lead. Fortified, the Troop is ready to return to Castle Rock and regain the lost homeland. At Castle Rock the Troop attacks. Lex's group retreats as Kumar lays his claim as King of the Castle. Along with him, Maya and Kip - and his new sister – will live well as alphas. During the end credits the macaque monkeys approach the cameramen and "inspect" camera equipment.
Yes, there is anthropomorphizing as the narrative of Tina Fey imposes human emotions on these animals. After all, the characters are animals, not humans. Does Maya really fight to beat the odds, or did she just get lucky and mate with a strong male? And were some parts of the film staged, like, for instance, the birthday party invasion where the humans are outside but the monkeys (and camera crew) are inside? Still, the filmmakers do not interfere and allow the monkeys to do their part like realizing their social structure and capturing their intimate close-ups: eating, sleeping, grooming, and playing. We also see their interaction with other animals, such as a mongoose and a langur. Animals in the story include bears, deer, Asian elephants, and predators such as a leopard and a seven-foot long monitor lizard. Disney has always done well with animal documentaries going back to the "True-Life Adventures" series. This one should please animal lovers everywhere.
Lone male monkey Kumar enters the group during mating season, but is expelled by the alpha monkey Raja. Six months later, his offspring through Maya is born ("Kip"). During the heavy downpours of the rainy season Castle Rock makes a great shelter for the alpha monkeys. But the others suffer from the cold and dampness. One day a year is feast time for the lowly, when the termites come out. Cassata leaves are tasty, but only for the alphas. Needing to eat to form milk for Kip, Maya goes to the lily pond, where there is food but also predators. She swims for the tasty lily-seed pods (underwater plants). Eventually Maya and friends enter a human house at the forest edge and take all kinds of foods and leave a mess.
Kumar eventually returns, smarter and stronger. He brings jackfruit as a bribe to Raja, who accepts the gift. Raja will need Kumar as a rival monkey group moves in, led by Rex. But Lex's group wins by tactical trickery and Raja's clan has to evacuate. The troop travels beyond the forest to the city to regroup; Maya becomes a queen as she has learned to take food from the humans. The journey further blurs the distinction between high-born and low-born. Out of their element, the alphas are bewildered, and strong Kumar takes the lead. Fortified, the Troop is ready to return to Castle Rock and regain the lost homeland. At Castle Rock the Troop attacks. Lex's group retreats as Kumar lays his claim as King of the Castle. Along with him, Maya and Kip - and his new sister – will live well as alphas. During the end credits the macaque monkeys approach the cameramen and "inspect" camera equipment.
Yes, there is anthropomorphizing as the narrative of Tina Fey imposes human emotions on these animals. After all, the characters are animals, not humans. Does Maya really fight to beat the odds, or did she just get lucky and mate with a strong male? And were some parts of the film staged, like, for instance, the birthday party invasion where the humans are outside but the monkeys (and camera crew) are inside? Still, the filmmakers do not interfere and allow the monkeys to do their part like realizing their social structure and capturing their intimate close-ups: eating, sleeping, grooming, and playing. We also see their interaction with other animals, such as a mongoose and a langur. Animals in the story include bears, deer, Asian elephants, and predators such as a leopard and a seven-foot long monitor lizard. Disney has always done well with animal documentaries going back to the "True-Life Adventures" series. This one should please animal lovers everywhere.