This review was made possible by all 5 episodes of Prehistoric Planet provided from Apple TV+.
Apple TV+’s Prehistoric Planet uses the latest science and technology to give us the most realistic look yet into the land of the dinosaurs.
Welcome… to ‘Prehistoric Planet’
While there is no shortage of dinosaur-themed media, from Jurassic Park to The Land Before Time to Barney, Prehistoric Planet is the show you’ll want to watch if you want to see the closest thing to real-life dinosaurs. Using the latest paleontological research and photorealistic CGI developed for Disney’s The Jungle Book (2016) and The Lion King (2019), Moving Picture Company created a world that, until now, has been unseen in such detail.
Between the incredible CGI, the soundtrack composed by Hans Zimmer and the relaxing narration by Sir David Attenborough, you’ll get lost in this prehistoric world, sometimes forgetting that none of it, other than the facts and science behind it, is real.
The series is made up of five episodes, with each one highlighting a different environment and the dinosaurs that lived within them. It focuses specifically on the Late Cretaceous period, 66 million years ago when dinosaurs ruled the Earth before their mass extinction. From the legendary Tyrannosaurus Rex to lesser known dinosaurs, such as the Mononykus, everybody will find a favorite.
Perfect Blend of Entertainment and Education
Prehistoric Planet does a good job of mixing educational facts with entertaining scenarios, however it does sometimes lean further into the entertainment side of the spectrum. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, you may find yourself distracted and having to go back for a second listen of the narration. No matter what though, you will never find yourself bored.
One of the things that I enjoyed was that it showed how intelligent these creatures could be. When we think of dinosaurs, we often think of massive creatures with peanut-sized brains and while this may be true for some, it wasn’t true for all. One scene in particular showed a clever Atrociraptor use a branch, smoking from a recent forest fire, to kill parasites living in its feathers.
Another thing I enjoyed was that it did not shy away from any part of their lives – including mating and defecating. Although the mating scene has a very tastefully placed branch, the defecation scene gives us a look at dinosaur feces that is a little too up close, and maybe a little too real but it is part of life after all. We also see babies hatching from their eggs, giving viewers an idea of just how small they are during the first stage of their life. They also highlight death in both the young and the old. Whether it’s natural causes or being killed by a predator, there is death and there is blood. While it’s never extremely graphic, it may be something to keep in mind if you’re watching with young children or if you’re squeamish.
Even though the entirety of Prehistoric Planet is CGI, that doesn’t mean you won’t find yourself rooting for the prey to escape the predators or for the lost baby to find its mother. My favorite scene is in the final episode when a male Carnosaurus attempts to woo a female with a mating dance. Not only is it funny, the music adds so much to the scene that you’ll find yourself hoping she accepts. Whether she does or not, I’ll leave that for you to find out.
‘Prehistoric Planet’ – Final Thoughts
Overall, both dinosaur lovers and fans of nature documentaries will not be disappointed by Prehistoric Planet. The stunning views and never-before-seen depictions of dinosaurs make it worth the watch.
I would absolutely love to see this technology used for more docuseries like this in the future, maybe for ancient deep-sea creatures or other prehistoric animals. With the photorealistic CGI, I found it so much easier to connect that these were real creatures that once walked the Earth. I’d love to be able to do that for other animals, too.
Prehistoric Planet is now streaming on Apple TV+. Check out the official trailer below:
Prehistoric Planet streams on Apple TV+ as a five-night event, beginning Monday, May 23.
