LOVE THY NATURE
(a film review by Mark R. Leeper)

CAPSULE: Here we have some important messages presented
in what is too frequently a patronizing style. LOVE THY
NATURE starts as a admiring look at the spectacular
natural world and humans' position within and along side
of nature. Nature really is something to love right now,
as the title says. The message is true but the
presentation style talks down to the viewer. It would
be a sad commentary if we need to be patronized if we
are going to accept the message. Sylvie Rokab co-writes
and directs and is one of three cinematographers.
Rating: low +1 (-4 to +4) or 5/10

This is a film that mesmerizes the viewer with some terrific nature
photography to remind the observer how much he/she should be loving
nature, and in doing so talks down to the viewer. I saw it on a
big screen TV and I wish it had been on a full-sized theater screen
to appreciate the spectacular nature photography. But when the
film shows people it shows views of happy people enjoying being in
nature like an illustration from a Watchtower tract.

Liam Neeson narrates the film calling himself "Homo Sapiens
Sapiens." In other words, he is at times pretending to be the
spirit of humanity. Yet he also is upbraiding humanity for its bad
habits. So some of the message is much needed but confused. Also
all too much of the message is laced with New Age ideas, some of
which are actually dangerous. As an example, the film recommends
natural herbal cures preferentially over mainstream medicine. It
reassures the viewer that if the herbal cures do not work the
viewer an fall back on mainstream medical therapy. (A woman I
worked with was taking herbal medicine for her very severe
headaches. She died suddenly of a cerebral hemorrhage.) Not all
the advice the film gives is anywhere near such bad suggestions,
but the viewer may do better to accept or reject points made by the
film on a piece-by-piece basis. One should not accept all the
ideas without some prudent skepticism.

The film is of an uneven visual style with most of the nature
photography toward the beginning. The film's approach is rather
scattershot. It will be talking one minute about how we have a
symbiotic relationship with trees and their photosynthesis, and
then it will be talking about global warming. Having an excellent
actor like Liam Neeson narrate could be a real asset to the film,
but having him represent all of humanity is bothersome. Elsewhere
the film has major figures in conservation interviewed, including
people like Andy Lipkis, founder of the tree conservation group the
TreePeople. One moment the film can be interviewing a respectable
expert on the science of his subject and the next we will be seeing
an animated bee puppet.

This is a documentary that has its heart in the right place,
presenting many challenging issues facing humanity with varying
degrees of optimism. For me the film would have worked better if
it had a greater degree of trust for the intelligence of its
viewer. And to some extent the film also seems to be preaching to
the choir. Most of the film's viewers will probably already
believe the messages of the film before they even see it. I rate
LOVE THY NATURE a low +1 on the -4 to +4 scale or 5/10.

Film Credits:
<http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3244466/combined>

What others are saying:
<http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/love_thy_nature/>


Mark R. Leeper
Copyright 2016 Mark R. Leeper

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