Search - In Search of the Jaguar on DVD

Review for "Jaguar"

Hector M. | MN, USA | 02/14/2008

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I originally purchased this DVD because of the other good reviews. I was very disappointed because there was not much footage of jaguars, nor was much research presented. Rather, this was a documentary of the jaguar researcher. You hear about his troubled childhood, you meet his mentor, you meet his wife and children, you see him in the hospital being treated for cancer, and you see his entire life story, etc. etc. It's not this this information is not interesting, but I wanted to see a nature documentary, and this essentially is a biography on a scientist. I would say less than 1/3 of the DVD shows actual footage of jaguars. If you want to see a pure nature documentary, do not waste your money on this."

Man Plays Champion for Beast

Jeffery Mingo | Homewood, IL USA | 05/31/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I saw this right after seeing Mel Gibson's "Apocalypto." I'm not sure if you'd want your children to see that violent film, but if they did enjoy the film and want to know more, you may really want them to see this documentary. I was wondering why the main jaguar in that film was entirely black, but all the ones in this documentary were spotted. A certain web-based encyclopedia said the film's type of jaguar has lots of melanin.

This work focuses upon a human much more than the animal documentaries I viewed in my youth. Mr. Rabinowitz is such a male Jane Goodall that they flat out say it after awhile. There are frequent shots of his hairy chest and muscular frame: he may remind you of Robin Williams or Kelsey Grammar in that regard. I wish humans could empathize with endangered animals by themselves. However, this documentary purposely tries to say, "If one man finds this creatures worth fighting for, then so should we all." After being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, the male researcher passes the torch to a younger, female researcher, thus giving this work a gender-inclusive dynamic.

Americans like happy endings, and I'm one of them. This work concludes suggesting that jaguars may not be endangered after these researchers' crusade. I hope that's true, but I'm still curious if that was just put in there to make viewers feel better. Perhaps if the work ended by saying, "Look viewers, this cats will be gone if we don't do something collectively and immediately!" then maybe more environmentalists and supporters would champion the animals' cause more.

This work is radically different from "Grizzly Man." Here, the researcher is qualified to study these animals. The researcher faces natural threats and doesn't put himself in the line of danger. Though his body is ill, his psyche is not. The jaguars need saving in ways that the bears to the north did not. This documentary was about human and animal victory, rather than a human-versus-animal tragedy."

Amazing!

Tamara N. | Brooklyn, NY | 12/23/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This has to be the best, if not one of the best documentaries i have seen in a long long time. It is amazingly heart felt and brings into perspective how much one person can accomplish let alone many. Alan Rabinowitz, a true hero in his fight to preserve and maintain lands in order to save this amazing endangered Jaguar, is nothing short of remarkable. Great documentary for children of all ages. Highly recommended!"