Grizzly Man

I've never seen a live bear, and if it was it was in the zoo. Most people never get to see one, nor would want to. I like teddy bears, and yeah I do wish the real bears were friendly because I would just love to cuddle with one. They are kind of cute in a beastly way, but they are not dolphins and they have no patience for humans.

Director Werner Herzog documents the legacy of the grizzly bear expert and wildlife preservationist Timothy Treadwell. All the documentation of Tim came from Tim's own footage. Werner films the outside of this man's life and the people who had an impact on him and vise versa. We learn very quickly that the grizzly wonder, who was so in tune with animals and nature, actually lost his life to what he loved. A grizzly bear ate him and his girlfriend, however the film is not about his death entirely, but more about his life and his deep connection to these animals. We learn about the subject's background and how he became the Grizzly Man.

Watching Grizzly Man was like watching a nature program with a twist. Tim was one of the most interesting subjects I've seen in a while; a gentle soft spoken man who could flip in an instant and curse like a mad man. We soon find out he has a more sinister character that was always living inside him. The film finds a way to go beyond Tim and explore his influence outside the preserves.

This film was amusing and at the same time dark and captivating. One minute I was laughing at the absurdity on Tim's childish treatment of animals, next I was stunned to see him go on a three minute rampage about how he hates the government and park rangers.

The pace of the movie was a little off; sometimes the interviews with the people in Tim's life stretched out a little too long, and could have been cut down a little. The source of the entertainment was the Grizzly Man himself, and his plight with nature. All in all it was a very tense movie, as we knew we were eventually watching his last moments, and as an audience we become attached to this man. Knowing we are viewing the near end of his life is hard to swallow because he really was a good person who meant well and loved his creatures. I can relate because I talk to animals the way he does, like you're talking to a small child. Of course, I don't go to his extremes because I'm not Grizzly Man.

If you love nature, this is really your film. It is also right up there with some of the best docs and has a lot of depth to it that you

never see coming. The film speaks for itself, its low key but to the point and should leave you with a lot on your mind. This film will touch your heart; it's a bird, it's a bear, no wait, its Grizzly Man.

Movie Grade: A

This documentary centers on amateur grizzly bear expert Timothy Treadwell, who periodically journeyed to Alaska to study and live with the bears. The outdoorsman and author — along with his partner, Amie Huguenard — was eventually killed and devoured by one of the very animals to whom he had devoted years of study.