

"Island of Lemurs: Madagascar" is so gorgeously photographed that it's very much like visiting that exotic island off the coast of Southern Africa. Slow, swooping drone-shots sweep over splintered rocky peaks, hang over forests that climb above the fog and get up close -- VERY close -- with Madagascar's most famous residents -- lemurs.

In 39 short, lovely minutes, we learn how ancient lemurs are -- predating every other surviving primate species on Earth -- how they got to Madagascar, how varied they are in appearance and what the only threat to their future is.

Ring-tailed lemurs spend more time on the ground than any other lemur, as seen in the IMAX film &quot;ISLAND OF LEMURS: MADAGASCAR.&quot; (MCT)
Ring-tailed lemurs spend more time on the ground than any other lemur, as seen in the IMAX film "ISLAND OF LEMURS: MADAGASCAR." (MCT) (Drew Fellman)

"Madagascar is Treasure Island," Morgan Freeman narrates, as we visit the only forests in the world where lemurs are found. The film then follows lemur expert Patricia Wright as she travels the country, checking in on the greater bamboo lemurs, which she proved hadn't gone extinct, and tiny-feisty mouse lemurs, the singing indri lemurs and others.

It's easy to see the origins of that famous cartoon film franchise's fascination with Madagascar -- the flora, baobab trees, octopus trees and bamboo are lush, a full rainbow in shades of green. And the fauna, wild-eyed, exotically colored, cute and vocal, don't just run or skip across open ground. They dance.


We see the careless slash-and-burn farming practices that threatens Madagascar's remaining forests, a nation plainly in need of more firefighters. And we check in on lemurs who have adapted, moving out of the threatened land and up into the rocky mountains, short but breathtakingly steep.

"Island of Lemurs" is close to the perfect nature documentary -- a visually striking use of Imax 3-D that is picturesque and wonderfully informative about its adorable subject.

'Island of Lemurs: Madagscar'

* * * ½

Rating: G
Cast: Narrated by Morgan Freeman, with primatologist Patricia Wright
Director: David Douglas
Running time: 39 minutes