"African Cats" is a wildlife documentary that portrays two mothers, a lioness and a cheetah, as they protect their families on the plains of Kenya and Tanzania. Layla, the lioness mother and the pride's lead hunter, is injured. A male lion and his four sons cause trouble when they take over the group. During this change, Layla struggles to protect her cub, Mara. In the meantime, Sita, a female cheetah, attempts to shield her cubs from attacks by lions and other dangers. Narrated by Samuel L. Jackson, this film is another installment of Walt Disney Studio's Disneynature film series. Jane Cavalier
Directed by: Keith Scholey and Alastair FothergillNarrated by: Jackson112 minutesRated G
"African Cats" is an epic documentary depicting the true intricacies of life in the wild. With the help of Jackson's narration, the stories of the two different cat families are made understandable, tangible and real, and the audience cannot help but be moved accordingly despite the nonhuman subjects. Jessica Womack
Disneynature has done it again. Like "Earth" (2007) and "Oceans" (2009), "African Cats" is a stunning display of wildlife in its most genuine state, and it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout its duration. The film established a good balance between cuteness and carnage the blood was not overdone or overwhelming, but the shots were still true to the action of the lives of these animals. Sophia Archibald
"African Cats" probably won't keep you on the edge of your seat, but it doesn't aspire to. At its core, the film is a moving, beautifully shot story about the power of a mother's love for her young, set against the stunning backdrop of the Kenyan and Tanzanian savannah. Though there are moments when the picture tries a little too hard to be dramatic, it succeeds overall in connecting the audience to the film's subjects and their harrowing attempts to survive in the animal kingdom. Trevelyan Wing
