One more in the stunning series from BBC television. The first, "Walking with Dinosaurs" was the best, in my opinion. They put a lot of effort in these productions with top shelf animation that will satisfy viewers of any age. "Walking with Monsters" goes back in time before the dinos to a truly overlooked period in life's evolution. Animals that defied taxonomy branched off and went their own evolutionary route that ended in the greatest mass extinction in earth's history about 250 million years ago. It'll never be known how those animals would have turned out since 95% of all species died. And it may never be known what they looked like and what their behavior was, but the producers of this work filled in the unknowns with brilliant speculation and imagination. They make it seem like it's a wildlife documentary. Wide eyed kids aside, I'll bet the biggest fans are paleontologists. Not to be missed if you're interested in this genre. (Spoiler - they eat each other)
11 Reviews
Great piece of animation explores life before the dinosaur
AlsExGal13 June 2015
This documentary is a view of life on earth before the dinosaurs. The film begins with the creation of the Moon by the impact of the hypothetical planet Theia with the Earth. Starting with the Cambrian period 530 million years ago, the evolution of life on earth is documented, starting with the earliest of man's ancestors, the Haikouicthys, an orange "fish" the size of a thumbnail. The progress of the sea-dwelling creatures is charted as they evolve into being able to exist on land and ends where the documentary "Walking with Dinosaurs" picks up, at the end of the Triassic period, with the first dinosaurs walking the earth and forcing the smaller mammalian creatures into a nocturnal existence of hiding.
If you get the actual DVD, the extras include a thirty-minute documentary entitled Trilogy of Life. This documentary covers all of the Walking with series (Dinosaurs, Beasts, and Monsters). There are numerous interviews with the filmmakers and producers of the series. There is even footage of the real locations and backgrounds before the animated beasts were inserted by computer. It's funny to see the filmmakers kicking up dust and moving trees with wires "pretending" to be the dinosaurs since the dinosaurs would be inserted later. The documentary itself is presented with a great deal of detail and authority, as if the filmmakers know for a fact that this is exactly what took place, when in fact it is all quite hypothetical. However, you have to watch it understanding that its purpose is not to present an academic thesis. Instead, its purpose is to bring prehistory to life, just as if you were watching present-day animals being filmed, complete with animated prehistoric beasts occasionally bumping into an imaginary camera.
As children, my stepkids absolutely loved this documentary. This film just goes to prove that science can be made interesting, inviting the viewer to further investigate what is being presented. That is the purpose of the film, and it does succeed brilliantly.
If you get the actual DVD, the extras include a thirty-minute documentary entitled Trilogy of Life. This documentary covers all of the Walking with series (Dinosaurs, Beasts, and Monsters). There are numerous interviews with the filmmakers and producers of the series. There is even footage of the real locations and backgrounds before the animated beasts were inserted by computer. It's funny to see the filmmakers kicking up dust and moving trees with wires "pretending" to be the dinosaurs since the dinosaurs would be inserted later. The documentary itself is presented with a great deal of detail and authority, as if the filmmakers know for a fact that this is exactly what took place, when in fact it is all quite hypothetical. However, you have to watch it understanding that its purpose is not to present an academic thesis. Instead, its purpose is to bring prehistory to life, just as if you were watching present-day animals being filmed, complete with animated prehistoric beasts occasionally bumping into an imaginary camera.
As children, my stepkids absolutely loved this documentary. This film just goes to prove that science can be made interesting, inviting the viewer to further investigate what is being presented. That is the purpose of the film, and it does succeed brilliantly.
Science Doku has found an appealing form
Cquilty2 February 2006
Warning: Spoilers
I don't know in how far this show is scientifically correct. So I can't imagine ways to investigate behavior and coloring of the creatures starring in it to the detail shown. Comparison with their descendants and correlation with the plants of the period can't be sufficient. However, the form of the show is moving and convincing. The cinematography holds ones interest. Compared to earlier shows of this team the CGI and its combination with puppets is just perfect. It seems to be real. Despite the fact that the show is primarily about mans ancestors, the plot involves different perspectives too. Every creature mentioned gets enough screen time and explaining lines by the background speaker to catch the viewers interest. All in all, a 9 out of 10.
Possibly the Best Documentary Of All Time!
EugeneandSasha21 December 2005
What can I say, Walking With Monsters is quite possibly the greatest documentary ever. It is thrilling, suspenseful, action-packed, entertaining, and educational.
It portrays the constant struggle of life before the dinosaurs. It has some excellent CGI and music. The way it shows the prehistoric creatures are far better than how I imagined they would be.
No scenes bored me and I was always enthralled and at the edge of my seat. If you want to see a good documentary see this one. It exceeds in everything and far surpasses Dinosaur Planet and Walking With dinosaurs.
This is a spectacular documentary not to be missed.
My Rating: 9.9/10
It portrays the constant struggle of life before the dinosaurs. It has some excellent CGI and music. The way it shows the prehistoric creatures are far better than how I imagined they would be.
No scenes bored me and I was always enthralled and at the edge of my seat. If you want to see a good documentary see this one. It exceeds in everything and far surpasses Dinosaur Planet and Walking With dinosaurs.
This is a spectacular documentary not to be missed.
My Rating: 9.9/10
Lead up to Walking With Dinosaurs is its equal
dbborroughs30 August 2006
The latest Walking with special follows life from one celled animals in the sea until the advent of dinosaurs. Its a thrilling trip that is the equal to the original series. Here the series looks not only at life at various times through the ages but also gives you a sense of how the various creatures may have evolved by having time lapse shots of the creatures moving up the evolutionary ladder. This is great stuff and the perfect way to begin a marathon look at how life has grown and changed over the eons. While there is the inevitable eat or be eaten theme to the whole thing you do get a nice sens that there is more to it all then just that. Also what we see here dovetails nicely with the other Walking specials so that when put together you get a sense of how life moves and evolves not only for dinosaurs but even now.
A must see, especially when coupled with the other series
A must see, especially when coupled with the other series
The end of Walking with series
tankace17 April 2016
Walking with Monsters is the last of the Walking with series which truth to be told brought the prehistory to life. This one focuses on the life before the age of dinosaurs when creatures, even stranger than those we saw in the previous installments,walk the earth. The animation looks terrific and the story here is pretty much the who our bodies and all the bodies of any organism alive today.From my point of view makes sense to do that because back then was the time when all the organisms were much more closely related and to see the way they became was a awesome experience. To see these series end, made me express bitter- sweet feelings .From one hand you feel like when the summer vacations before going to college are over, you know only too well that ,that this time is going to be be the most relaxed time that you will ever have. But on the bright side you are happy to see what you put so much time end in a high note and not milked to death like the movie franchises with sequel after sequel and horrible spin offs. In conclusion I love it, although the fact that it was only three episodes long in bug me ,but apart from that I have no reservations suggesting to someone who love good documentaries in general.
Intelligent and engrossing.
Innsmouth_Apprentice5 April 2015
Walking with Monsters covers the period from the appearance of the first marine vertebrates to the beginning of the rise of the dinosaurs - roughly from 500 to 250 m.y.a. The film shows how animal life spread from water to land, and covers some of its earlier land-based stages. The documentary is informative and comprehensive. It covers the changes in climate, the transformation of geography and plant life, and the evolution of our ancestral creatures.
The word "monsters" implies a sensationalist flavor, but the film really features animals of all scales and types, not just the biggest and the "scariest". One of the better documentaries I've seen on the subject; highly recommended. 9/10.
The word "monsters" implies a sensationalist flavor, but the film really features animals of all scales and types, not just the biggest and the "scariest". One of the better documentaries I've seen on the subject; highly recommended. 9/10.
The Best of the Walking With series.
MlleSedTortue26 November 2020
Waling with Dinosaurs may be the most fondly remembered of the series, but I'd place this as the best of the Walking With series. Talking the lessons learned from the prior series, the filmmakers seek to push the limits by giving the audience what is quite literally a more in-depth look at the fascinating life before the dinosaurs. It may be shorter than the others, and inevitably suffers from some inaccuracies, but it's nonetheless an engaging and thrilling experience.
Explores something most documentaries don't explore
CommanderSalamander23 June 2022
I've have never seen a documentary explore the time before the dinosaurs, so I love this for trying! The only problem is that this documentary is too short, and should explore the age and evolution of reptiles more. But, it is a very good documentary to watch.
Visually stunning but shallow docudrama
Corvus-927 December 2005
Interesting docudrama about life on Earth before the dinosaurs. Excellent CGI and scientific information is marred by an overly simplified and sensationalized presentation. Hundreds of millions of years of evolution are condensed into about a half-dozen scenes. Information about ecology and the food web is ignored in favor of scenes of large carnivores attacking each other.
I am curious how they determined the behavior, colouration, and sounds of these creatures. The arthropods are so loud that one would think that prey would be able to hear them coming. I was also not aware that amphibians and reptiles roar like lions.
I am curious how they determined the behavior, colouration, and sounds of these creatures. The arthropods are so loud that one would think that prey would be able to hear them coming. I was also not aware that amphibians and reptiles roar like lions.
Too many artistic liberties
unclegerald200413 November 2013
Warning: Spoilers
This is not an educational documentary because it takes too many liberties with behavior that this pseudo-documentary doesn't explain why they claim the things they claim. Perhaps if this "documentary" explained why they claim the claims that the claim, it would be more credible; otherwise, I resent this cartoon passing itself off as educational.
Also: it's funny how feminist this series is. It's like the producers went out of their way to prove a point. I'm not sure I know what their point was, but it seems like if you were male in that era in time, or in that era in this series, you'll be eaten, outwitted, or out lucked by a smarter, more powerful, or more evolved female. One of my kids pointed it out when they were guessing how the drama would end, which ever creature was referred to as a "he" is the one who'll get eaten. Well, that's pretty much a sign of our times. Gotta do what sells.
Also: it's funny how feminist this series is. It's like the producers went out of their way to prove a point. I'm not sure I know what their point was, but it seems like if you were male in that era in time, or in that era in this series, you'll be eaten, outwitted, or out lucked by a smarter, more powerful, or more evolved female. One of my kids pointed it out when they were guessing how the drama would end, which ever creature was referred to as a "he" is the one who'll get eaten. Well, that's pretty much a sign of our times. Gotta do what sells.
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