Planet Earth (2006)
BBC

Description

With an unprecedented production budget of $25 million, and from the makers of Blue Planet: Seas of Life, comes the epic story of life on Earth. Five years in production, over 2,000 days in the field, using 40 cameramen filming across 200 locations, shot entirely in high definition, this is the ultimate portrait of our planet. A stunning television experience that captures rare action, impossible locations and intimate moments with our planet's best-loved, wildest and most elusive creatures. From the highest mountains to the deepest rivers, this blockbuster series takes you on an unforgettable journey through the daily struggle for survival in Earth's most extreme habitats. Planet Earth takes you to places you have never seen before, to experience sights and sounds you may never experience anywhere else.

Collected reviews and ratings

10 DVD Verdict

It is the astounding breadth, scope, and depth of Planet Earth that makes it revolutionary. "Ocean Deep," "Ice Worlds," "Jungles," or any of the other episodes have the smarts and substance to hold their own against similarly themed Discovery Channel documentaries. That each of the unique episodes is woven into a sprawling but cohesive 11-part whole makes Planet Earth a unique and special snapshot of the planet on which we live.
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10 Empire

Like previous jawdroppers Life On Earth and Blue Planet (to which this is a sort-of sequel), Planet Earth courts superlatives, films the unfilmable and breaks new ground — literally, in the case of the Danakil Desert in Ethiopia, where volcanoes churn the Earth and the crew braved sulphurous winds to film lakes of lava.
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10 filmcritic.com

The best description necessitates the borrowing of a phrase from Douglas Adams. Planet Earth could be, when all is said and done, nothing less than the last chance to see the wonders of the natural world (animal, vegetable, and mineral) before they are irrevocably changed or gone.
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10 DVD Talk

As tremendously entertaining as it is educational, Planet Earth offers viewers a visually spectacular examination of a world most of us barely knew existed.
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10 Entertainment Weekly

To call Planet Earth, the magnificent 11-part BBC documentary, just another nature series is like calling Antarctica just another big sheet of ice: Those unmoved by shots of prowling snow leopards and frolicking polar bear cubs are hereby directed to move to another world.
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10 Variety

Images flash by that aren't easily forgotten, and the narration adds to the sense that we're witnessing something special, frequently referring to "never before seen" footage of, say, a snow leopard hunting or a pride of lions attempting to bring down an elephant in a frenzied nighttime attack, chronicled via infrared imagery.
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10 digitallyobsessed.com

I can easily imagine a copy of Planet Earth being put in a time capsule somewhere, so that future generations (or perhaps even interplanetary visitors) will be able to see the once regal natural majesty of Earth, because it is apparent that there is a fragility to the vast wilderness, and that its permanence is not a guarantee.
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10 IGN.com

From the sweeping score to the rare footage of acts in nature that have never been seen before - this DVD set contains a series which hits every note perfectly. With lush landscapes and action packed chase (hunt) scenes, even the most finicky viewers will be mesmerized by this incredible production.
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9.0 Blu-ray.com | Greg Maltz

Obviously, what puts Planet Earth in a class of its own is the camerawork and the picture. While not the most educational documentary, it offers many new places to see and animals to meet. And Attenborough is a world-class host, with an authoritative delivery and relaxed style--the perfect guide to take you places you've never been. Very highly recommended.
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9.0 DVD Town

This series makes explorers of us all! So much so, that you can't help but wish that Lewis and Clark had a HD video camera with them as they made their journey from Pittsburgh to the Pacific, or that Darwin had one with him on the Beagle as he explored Earth's southern hemisphere.
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7.0 highdefdigest.com

Just the sheer scope of the project gives it a majesty rare for a genre usually known for its low budgets and cheesy production values. Finally, be warned -- 'Planet Earth' is highly addictive. No matter which episode you choose, it's always accessible, like nature documentary comfort food.
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