Planet Earth (TV Mini Series) Mountains (2006) User Reviews

There's Nowhere To Hide, Even On Top Of Huge Mountains

[ccthemovieman-1 · 10/10 · 25 December 2008]

After watching this second episode, I couldn't help but think back and shake my head over one basic fact: there is no safe place on earth. It's tough enough being a human, but more scary being an animal, bird or fish. There are predators: everywhere, who strike like a bullet and rip you pieces.

Even high above the earth's surface, way up in the Himalyaya where eagles attack migrating birds or literally on high peaks where you would think no one else could survive, we witness Ibex getting stalked and eaten by the rare and beautiful snow leopards!

Most of all, though, this episode provides us with spectacular mountain scenery with jagged peaks like you can't believe. The formations on some of these mountains are incredible. It's amazing that creatures can live and move around in these jagged remote areas.

"On the highest summits of our planet, nothing can live permanently."

[classicsoncall · 9/10 · 21 August 2012]

The second episode of this series offers an incredible look at mountains, their formation, and the relative abundance of life in remote areas that very few humans get a chance to witness. From the molten lava lake Erta-Ale in the Danakil Depression of Ethiopia to the peaks of the Himalayas, one is constantly fascinated by the ever shifting movements of giant land masses that only the patience of centuries can provide. As in the first entry of the series, one hooks up with the film crew that makes the journey possible, sacrificing themselves to loneliness, boredom and the bitter elements to chronicle the images that make us gasp in awe in the comfort of our living rooms. The highlight here is undoubtedly the elusive Himalayan snow leopard in a dramatic chase of a hairy mountain goat called a markhor. The race is waged up and down fierce mountain slopes and if one isn't impressed by the effort, than you've probably lived in a cave longer than the guy doing the filming. Additional images involve high plateau gelada baboons, Ethiopian wolves, elusive panda and migrating damoiselle cranes. But it's the snow leopard quest that earns the oohs and aahs here, so much so that you get to see it twice.

Top of the World

[aherdofbeautifulwildponies · 9/10 · 28 March 2023]

The second episode of the miniseries continues with the familiar approach of showcasing a particular kind of habitat - this time, mountains - in the forms it takes across the planet. We travel from Ethiopia to the Andes to the Alps and beyond. A special stop is made on the slopes of an active volcano: Erta Ale illustrates how mountains are formed and what they look like in their earliest days.

The episode boasts of the first ever close recording of snow leopards. In a Himalayan blizzard, a mother leopard hunts markhors (a species of mountain goats), while her cub - big, but not yet independent - waits by a cave. There is the largest mountain glacier on Earth, the Baltoro in Pakistan, and the tallest peak on the planet, Mount Everest. Seasons change and, once again, grizzly bears of the Rockies come out of hibernation, while, many miles away, a giant panda is nursing her young.

As expected of the BBC wildlife programmes, here is a wonderful combination of personal (insofar as that term can be applied to animals) and general. Particular stories and situations are shown as part of the overarching intricate arrangements that make up life on Earth. It is beautiful and fascinating and dangerous, and the show does its subject justice.

The series' best episode (of these I've seen)

[yavermbizi · 8/10 · 18 August 2019]

There are many things that make this particular episode so much better than the rest. It starts with more of a geographical/geological focus than the usual biological emphasis of the series. It then acquaints the viewer with a host of amazing creatures with which I, at the very least, wasn't familiar - from grass-eating Ethiopian highland primates to the graceful Alpine snow leopard. The scenery is breathtaking and incredible, further underscoring the amazing abilities of the animals living in such an environment. Last but not least, the music is praiseworthy, especially in the segment where the Alps and their glaciers are presented to the viewer. The stunning, austere world of the mountainous regions across the world is more than done justice by this episode, and the series' usual shortfalls don't take away from the experience.

Soars to incredible mountainous heights

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 11 November 2017]

Absolutely adore 'Planet Earth', one of the best documentaries ever made and actually is more than that. Have remarked a few times that it and its recent follow up (every bit as good) did for nature and out planet as 'Walking with Dinosaurs' did with the dinosaurs. David Attenborough is wisely considered a national treasure for very good reason, no matter how much he himself dislikes the term.

The previous episode "From Pole to Pole", the first episode in fact, was incredible so "Mountains" had a lot to live up to. Luckily, as to be expected, it absolutely lives up to the quality of "From Pole to Pole". Throughout it's an awe-inspiring, utterly transfixing experience where one forgets they're watching a documentary and instead feeling like they're watching art. This may sound like extreme hyperbole, but to me and many others 'Planet Earth' is completely deserving of its praise and even deserving of more. To me as well, it is easily one of the best the BBC has done in years.

Where to start with the praises for "Mountains?" For starters it looks amazing. It is gorgeously filmed, done in a completely fluid and natural, sometimes intimate (a great way of connecting even more with the animals), way and never looking static. In fact much of it is remarkably cinematic. The scenery and habitats are some of the most breath-taking personally seen anywhere, whether in visual media and real life and the rich colours positively leap out. The music is epic but has just as many quieter moments that speak just as much. The main theme is unforgettable.

Regarding the narrative aspects, "Mountains" can't be faulted there either. The narration has a great well-balanced mix of facts that will be familiar to the viewer and others that will induce the right amount of surprise. In short, it's just fascinating, informative and thoughtful. Everything is intriguing and illuminating, with as much for children to be inspired by as well as adults, and there is just enough freshness to avoid it from becoming stale. Attenborough delivers it beautifully, there's a soft-spoken enthusiasm and precision about his delivery and he never preaches.

The animals themselves are a wonderful mix of the adorable and the dangerous. One actually finds they're rooting for them in exactly the same way they would a human character. What also stands out is "Mountains" sense of awe and emotional impact. It is agreed that the best scene is the snow leopard chase, it is amazing at how something as heart-pounding and tense as that could be filmed and as well as it is.

Nothing episodic or repetitive here in "Mountains" either. Despite covering a lot of animals and habitats, there is a real sense of the episode having its own individual story with real, complex emotions and conflicts and animal characters developed in a way a human character would in a film but does it better than several.

In summary, another wonderful episode that soars to the highest possible heights. 10/10 Bethany Cox

I love the Music so much!

[dakuchonekobing · 6/10 · 1 September 2020]

Honestly, I'm so easy to fall into sleep when I watch animal documentaries. This episode is not so good as the first episode, but it's still interesting. Especially the music. When I heard the music change when the scene switch to the highly snow mountain, I really thought I was watching The Lord of the Ring. Holly molly, I enjoyed watching the mountain animals, the eagle scene at the end should be zoom in, that would be perfect.