Into the Jungle (2018)

Directed by: Mark Hanlin | 90 minutes | documentary

‘Into the Jungle’ tells the story of the Australian couple Jim and Jean Thomas. The pair gave up a comfortable life in their homeland for an uncertain existence in the jungles of Papua New Guinea. Their motivation: to save the rare and unknown to the general public tenkile tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus scottea). This cute-looking animal has traditionally been on the menu of the native tribes, but is now in danger of extinction. It is estimated that only about a hundred of these tree kangaroos remain in the wild.

What is immediately noticeable is that Jim and Jean link their conservation work to respect for the local population. They do not try to admonish the New Guineans with a finger pointing, but with respect for the culture of the indigenous tribes, they set up all kinds of educational and other projects that should safeguard the future of the tribes and their habitat – an enormously rich and important rainforest in terms of biodiversity. . The European Union is also contributing in the form of a water project.

Despite its serious theme, ‘Into the Jungle’ is primarily an optimistic film that aims to demonstrate that even as a loner you can make a difference in the field of nature conservation. Sometimes the bold focus on the white benefactors and their newborn babies is at the expense of depth, so that at times the film looks more like a promotional film for a conservation project than a contemplative documentary. The modest contributions of well-known nature icons such as David Attenborough and Jane Goodall fit this picture. They add little content and seem primarily intended to make the film more commercially attractive.

The images of nature that we are presented with are at times beautiful and show what Jim and Jean are carrying out their commendable mission for. Although ‘Into the Jungle’ leaves something to be desired in terms of depth, the combination of beautiful nature, kind-hearted people and a beautiful ending nevertheless makes for a watch-worthy documentary that leaves you with a hopeful feeling.