James Earl Jones narrates Disneynature “Earth,” a fascinating documentary of our planet’s circle of life. It’s not the typical Disney tale of a princess and a peasant or a team of singing cats, but still possesses the magic Disney films are famous for.

James Earl Jones’ deep clear voice has also been featured in other Disney films, including the 1994 animated film “The Lion King” as Mufasa. In “Earth,” he tells the stories of Earth’s diverse biomes, from the freezing arctic to the seasonless center of the Earth and from the peaks of mountains into the blue of the ocean.

Opposed to typical Disney films, “Earth” is not exactly a feel good movie. It tells the story of life, including the beauty of birth, the harsh realities of predators and starvation and all that lies in between. Viewers will witness the first steps of polar bears, the first flight of Mandarin ducks and the long migratory journeys of caribou and elephants. The film will evoke laughter from the mating rituals of tropical birds and sadness from a caribou’s deathly defeat by a cheetah.

“Earth” is told in a circle, beginning and ending with a family of polar bears in the North Pole. Along the journey the audience will witness organisms and parts of the world that break nature’s rules, including areas in Africa that are rich in water and moisture. Viewers will also meet birds that are clean freaks and creatures that are able to run minutes after leaving the womb.

If the point of the film was to inform and astonish, directors Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield did their job. The vibrant colors of the rainforest and its tropical inhabitants are breathtaking and some scenes will make one wonder how the crew was able to get so close. A fun frequent effect in the film is the fast-forwarded growth of plants across the globe, from flowers to fungus.

The ending credits give a little insight on how the camera men were able to capture the marvelous moments in nature. Watching the obstacles the crew faced will give viewers an even stronger appreciation for the film.

“Earth” is proof that animals don’t need to have special powers for a motion picture to be interesting, but that the rituals and practices of Earth’s regular creatures are captivating on their own.