Crimson Wing traces the amazing lifecycle of the flamingo - their conception, birth and maturation to adulthood, presumably where the story can begin again. The dawn of their lives is all about one thing: salt. Mothers lay their eggs on an island in a lake that evaporates every summer, leaving a salty refuge. Isolated to begin with, as the chicks begin to mature, predators begin creeping in. I'll never think of storks the same way again. They're not merely the baby-carrying pickle purveyors that my mind recalls. A beautiful film, Crimson Wing brims with wondrous sweeping vistas and amazing shots of Africa and tremendous flocks of flamingos. The pupils of the adult flamingos red-ringed eyes seem almost dead, but their children are really cute, with black eyes that suggest a great deal of emotion and fluffy feathers that have not yet turned pink. Their beaks change shape as they grow older and seem to enter an awkward stage that lasts the rest of their lives. Parents of sensitive children, however, beware. The world of the flamingo is not without danger. Salt from the shallow pools around the salt island can build up on the tiny flamingos' legs, leaving them with what appear to be white legwarmers but which significantly inhibit the little chicks' chances of surviving into adulthood. The aforementioned storks play a cruel part, and mongooses (mongeese?) also prey upon the adorable little birds. It's a circle-of-life thing, as A Bug's Life's Hopper once said. If you want to celebrate the wonders of the natural world, you must be prepared to see where your favorite animals fit into the food chain. |
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