The subjects of this series, seen in their habitats--a massive Nile crocodile, which gets to eat once a year, lying in wait for herds of wildebeests to come by; a hungry polar bear, stalking seals while struggling in the melting ice--have all the impact of characters whose moments on stage are brief but not easily forgotten. An effect largely due to the talent and enterprise of the photographic team for this endlessly compelling work.
The series doesn’t measure up to top-flight Attenborough, who is working on “Planet Earth II,” but it is mostly fascinating as well as, of course, informative.
The Hunt is more of a high-stakes chess match, albeit one featuring spectacularly photographed athletic grace. Its preternaturally omniscient cameras document the shifting strategies employed by both predators and prey.