Monkey Kingdom 2015

Sara Stewart, New York Post: You couldn't do much better than "Monkey Kingdom" to get kids invested in learning about, and protecting, the natural world. Read more

Andrew Barker, Variety: The cheekiest, funniest, and most purely entertaining entry in the Disneynature series. Read more

Barbara VanDenburgh, Arizona Republic: Although its chief asset is its inherently entertaining subject matter, "Monkey Kingdom" does far more than just let the cameras roll: It teases a compelling drama out of one monkey tribe's complicated social hierarchy ... Read more

Janice Page, Boston Globe: It's been clear for awhile now that Tina Fey rules. "Monkey Kingdom" is just the latest entertainment to benefit. Read more

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: You know how nature docs work. You forgive the hoked-up comic relief ... and tasteful allusions to death and dying and procreation because the tight shots of Maya's lil' Kip are so durn cuuuuute. Read more

Adam Graham, Detroit News: "Monkey Kingdom" clocks in at a very digestible 82 minutes and doesn't overstay its welcome. It doesn't monkey around - that's left to the film's subjects, who are more than happy to oblige. Read more

Stephen Farber, Hollywood Reporter: The film should hit the sweet spot for family audiences. Read more

Michael Rechtshaffen, Los Angeles Times: The film offers a valuable life lesson in the powers of determination and timing, but most of all it's darned entertaining. Read more

Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger: An enjoyable documentary, with some painless lessons. And a good heart, too ... Read more

Mark Jenkins, NPR: As much fun as a tree full of toque macaques, Monkey Kingdom is arguably the most entertaining of Disneynature's eight features. Read more

Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: If you don't love monkeys already - and really, we all should - then "Monkey Kingdom" will swing you in the right direction. Read more

Neil Genzlinger, New York Times: It's hard to imagine what message children will take away from this film other than that monkeys are just like characters in a fictional Disney movie, which they are not. Read more

Christy Lemire, RogerEbert.com: You're likely to laugh and learn in equal measure-and so will your little ones. Read more

Soren Anderson, Seattle Times: Monkeys. Read more

Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "Monkey Kingdom" tugs our heartstrings to the top of the trees. With a lot of patience, and perhaps a little trickery, directors Mark Linfield and Alastair Fothergill have produced a simian "Cinderella." Read more

Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail: The story of the colony's exile and return feels like a dull sermon, but the animals themselves, with their expressive faces and Moe Howard hairdos, can switch from slapstick to pathos faster than Charlie Chaplin. Read more

Linda Barnard, Toronto Star: Stick around for the credits to find out how pivotal scenes were shot for this worthy addition to Disney's long tradition of nature family films. Read more

Inkoo Kang, TheWrap: A populist take on simian society and alpha leadership leads to an entertaining look at caste systems in the animal kingdom. Read more

Alan Scherstuhl, Village Voice: Monkey Kingdom is delightful, and its swinging and vaulting best any stuntwork you'll see in this year's summer blockbusters ... Read more

Bilge Ebiri, New York Magazine/Vulture: This may be an unabashed, Disneyfied version of nature. But it's also fun, touching, and expertly assembled. Read more