Turtle: The Incredible Journey (2009)

73% of critics liked it
(15 reviews)
74% of users liked it
(844 ratings)

Turtle: The Incredible Journey is the story of a little loggerhead turtle, which follows in the path of her ancestors on one of the most extraordinary journeys in the natural world. Born on a beach in Florida, she rides the Gulf Stream all the way to the frozen north and ultimately swims around the… More Turtle: The Incredible Journey is the story of a little loggerhead turtle, which follows in the path of her ancestors on one of the most extraordinary journeys in the natural world. Born on a beach in Florida, she rides the Gulf Stream all the way to the frozen north and ultimately swims around the entire North Atlantic to Africa and back to the beach where she was born. But the odds are stacked against her; just one in 10,000 thousand turtles survive the journey. Along the way she faces many hazards, she loses her brothers and sisters in the Sargasso Sea, comes face to face with creatures of the deep and nearly dies at the hands of fishermen. A sunfish guides her to safety and a humpback whale shows her the way north. And when she finally reaches the frozen north, she sees the greatest celebration of life on the Earth; but she also discovers deep and powerful changes happening in the oceans - the ice is melting and sea levels are rising; it could halt the Gulf Stream, flood the turtle's birthing beaches and end a way of life. Then her calling comes, she must return home. Under a million stars, she crawls out of the sea to lay her own eggs and keep Turtle: The Incredible Journey alive. -- (C) Sea World Pictures

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Rating, Runtime: G, 1 hr. 21 min.
Directed By: Nick Stringer
Genres: Documentary

In Theaters: Jun 24, 2011 Limited
On DVD: Nov 15, 2011
Studio: Hannover House

Critic Reviews

Sheri Linden, Los Angeles Times
A solitary long-distance traveler with prehistoric cachet, the loggerhead turtle makes a compelling subject for a nature film, as the spectacularly shot, aptly named Turtle: The Incredible Journey demonstrates, if at times too feverishly.
Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter
A smartly shot sea documentary delivers its ecological message but does suffer from an overly dramatic narration.
Lou Lumenick, New York Post
Nick Stringer's documentary about the 25-year migratory cycle of loggerhead turtles has some remarkable underwater footage.
Manohla Dargis, New York Times
Without a disclaimer that explains what's real and not, how can viewers, including those who may already be skeptical about claims of environmental crises, trust that the whole thing hasn't been made up?
Justin Chang, Variety
Visually resplendent.
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
It's a bit long to be as kid friendly as this educational and visually striking film is meant to be. But it will give you a renewed appreciation for who these creatures are...
Steve Persall, Tampa Bay Times
Penguins march but sea turtles mostly float through instinctual rituals of reproduction, a process detailed in Turtle: The Incredible Journey. Nick Stringer's nature documentary moves about as fast as its subject, which is to say not very.
Frank Swietek, One Guy's Opinion
The sort of thing that will be more at home on Animal Planet than in a theatrical venue. But of its kind, it's solid classroom fare.
John Beifuss, Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)
In this era of Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel, the project seems rather redundant.
Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media
Educational but slow docu may not keep kids' interest.
Louis Proyect, rec.arts.movies.reviews
Although I have become inured to Hollywood hype over the years, this is truly an incredible journey. The documentary is great for six year olds and sixty-six year old codgers like me who care about the future of the planet and an amazing creature.
David Noh, Film Journal International
This loving documentary contains absolutely gorgeous visuals, but too many instances of intrusive melodrama which impede an animal lover's complete immersion and enjoyment.
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
An engrossing documentary about the heroic 25-year pilgrimage of a loggerhead turtle.
Nick Schager, Slant Magazine
Anthropomorphizes its shelled protagonist in a manner so melodramatic as to make one cringe.

Read all 14 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Sarah P

I want to know how they were able to film all of that!! It was incredible to see this part of nature that you would have no chance of seeing otherwise.