The third documentary from the Disneynature label offers some stunning footage of the African savannas, organized around compelling twin narratives about an aging lioness with a cub and a cheetah raising her five newborns.
Filming over 2½ years, directors Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey follow the lioness, who is injured defending against other lions and unable to keep up with the pack. But she wants to ensure the survival of her cub. The cheetah struggles to feed her young (kills are discreetly photographed) and protect them against predators.
Kids will love “African Cats,” which is full of “aw” moments. Their parents will appreciate that narrator Samuel L. Jackson keeps things from getting too schmaltzy in this true-life depiction of the circle of life.