The Future is Wild: DVD Review

Ever wonder what the world will be like millions of years from now? Maybe not, but the idea is an intriguing one. Will humans still exist? What kinds of animals will be scurrying, flying, swimming or stomping about? Will dinosaurs return or will even more massive creatures evolve? Scientists have provided us with a picture of the world millions of years in the past. Could they predict the picture of the world millions of years in the future? In the 13 episode DVD set, The Future Is Wild, distributed by Image Entertainment, eminent scientists from around the globe have attempted to do just that and provide us with a possible glimpse into earth’s future.

The Future Is Wild is divided into three segments predicting 5 million, 100 million and 200 million years into earth’s future. Global warming, tectonic plate movement and explosive volcanic activity dramatically change the world and its inhabitants and push evolution into new exploration. While most of these changes will take place over millions of years, some will be quick and dramatic and it would only take one to eliminate man and most of the living creatures of today.

Graphic representations of the futuristic creatures are cleverly set against very real looking land and water scapes. The animation is credited to 422 a graphic and CGI company based in Bristol, UK, in of all places, a large converted Victorian church. Compliments to the staff for their excellent work. The creatures in The Future Is Wild are far more believable than those CGI wolves in The Day After. (Visit the 422 website to see more of their work.)

The most compelling features of The Future Is Wild are the actual scientific explanations of how these futuristic creatures were conceived-the science behind the science fiction-and the integration of some of the most curious creatures existing today. The actual scientists provide explanation and connection and tell how features possessed by today’s creatures could be carried forward through evolution into creatures of the future. Scientists theorize that only the most adaptable of existing species have any hope of surviving into the future.

From Ice World to Hothouse World to New World and from Snow Stalkers to Ocean Phantoms to Squibbons, the science, the creativity and the sheer wonder of how they came together is truly a delightful experience. The Future Is Wild is a family friendly series and an excellent way to bring everyone together for a shared experience-while unleashing the imagination and expanding the mind. (Natural world “violence” is minimal and not particularly graphic.)

Good menu arrangements allow a wide range of choices and the ability to revisit favorite segments. For a $30.00 investment (a used one at Amazon will cost around $16.00), you will gain hours of entertainment. The Future Is Wild DVD set (or VHS) gets two thumbs up.