By George & Josh Bate
Disney celebrates Earth Day 2026 with a lovely, heartwarming, and informative documentary about one of our closest genetic relatives.
Narrated by Josh Gad, Disneynature’s Orangutan plummets viewers into the rainforests of Borneo to follow Indah, a nine-year-old female orangutan preparing to leave her family and navigate on her own for the first time.
With a legacy dating back to the true-life adventure movies Disney produced as early as 1948, Disneynature has long delighted viewers with films that offer insights about the wonderful world around us, while effectively tugging at the heart strings and making us laugh. The production company’s latest film, Orangutan, does exactly that and then some, solidifying itself as one of Disneynature’s most entertaining and moving films by the time the credits roll.
Disneynature’s Orangutan excels in personifying its titular species by chronicling an approachable and rather relatable coming-of-age story. Indah’s departure from her mother DIann and little brother Bimo will parallel the trajectories of many viewers, who similarly had to make the leap into the wider world upon reaching a certain age. Rather than unfold as a by-the-numbers and overly technical documentary, veteran wildlife filmmaker Mark Linfield’s film couches all the fascinating facts about orangutans it has to offer in a fascinating story first and foremost. In doing so, the documentary marries effective storytelling with approachable information far better than the average nature doc.
Unique to Disneynature’s Orangutan relative to other of the production company’s films is the extent to which it feels like the product of Disney’s magical lineage. From featuring the song “I Wan’na Be Like You” from 1967’s The Jungle Book to being narrated by Disney legend and Olaf himself Josh Gad to honing in on a story full of heart and humor, the documentary evokes that indescribable warm feeling Disney classics like The Lion King and Lady and the Tramp did. There are countless wildlife documentaries out there, but arguably none to date have fused the sensibilities of that genre with an atmosphere and feeling so distinctly Disney.
Beyond the gripping story of Indah, Disneynature’s Orangutan offers plenty of interesting information about orangutans and other wildlife. We not only learn that orangutans have the longest childhoods of any animal in nature, but why this is the case, again through the lived experience of Indah. We learn that orangutans spend almost all of their lives up in trees, and only come to ground for basic necessities. We get to see orangutans use tools, build nests, and even treat wounds, all of which deepens our understanding and appreciation of these incredible animals.
Orangutans aren’t the only animals that feature in the film. Deep in the Sumatran rainforest, beautifully shot and color graded sequences depict swinging gibbons, jumping snacks, tree geckos with huge eyes, and a hilarious sun bear, just to name a few. In depicting the vast ecosystem of the rainforest so beautifully, Disneynature’s Orangutan packs a subtle, yet vitally important message championing conservation. The world around us is far greater than just human life and, in personifying the other species that inhabit Earth and giving us a front-row seat to all their idiosyncrasies and personalities, the need to conserve what we have suddenly feels all the more personal.
VERDICT: 8/10
Disneynature’s Orangutan continues the long-legacy of Disneynature documentaries with another beautifully shot, deeply heartwarming, and informative documentary. Veteran wildlife filmmaker Mark Linfield intelligently centers the film around an adolescent orangutan named Indah and, in doing so, chronicles a fascinating, approachable, and relatable coming-of-age story. In addition to personifying the titular animals, the film also goes above and beyond your average nature doc in evoking the magic and warmth of Disney classics like Lady and the Tramp and The Lion King, with music, narration, and themes that all feel distinctly Disney. Those eager to learn more about one of our closest genetic relatives will come away blown away by the insights fostered by the documentary, not only about orangutans but the other wildlife that encompass the vast wildlife of the Sumatran rainforest. While entertaining and moving, Disneynature’s Orangutan also packs a subtle, yet vitally important message championing conservation. In a world dominated by political and societal unrest, the documentary shows (rather than tells) us that life beyond humans is something to be cherished.