简介：Intherun-uptothe2006winterOlympics,theBBCdecidedtobringtogethertheirsportsteamandthepeoplewhobroughtusWalkingwithDinosaurswiththewildlifedocumentarydivisiontogiveusthisweirdlycompellingone-offspecialthatlookslikeitshouldbeabsurdbutsurprisinglyworksonseverallevels.OpeningwithanowlcarryingafrozenOlympictorch,wearetreatedtoeventssuchasspeedskating,skijump,crosscountry,coldenduranceandothersbetweentheteamsrepresentingbirds,mammals,reptiles,fishandhumans. Eacheventisengagingbecauseitissuchanunusualsightthatyoucan'thelpbutwatching.Atthesametimethecommentatorsexplainhoweachcompetitorisabletodowhatitistheydo.Thisworksintheorybut,becausethecommentatorshavetostayincharacter,theexplanationsarebrief(albeititsufficient)andthoselookingfordetailedlearningwillbedisappointedbytheswiftmovementofthedialogue.Alongsidethiswehavethehumourofthewholeideaand,althoughIwouldhavelikedittohaveitstonguemoreinitscheek,itisamusingthroughout.Creditforthislieswiththecommentatorsbecausetheybothreallygetintoitanddelivernaturaldialogueand,bytreatingitasanormalsport,theyaddmorehumourtoit.SadlythefilmmaybereliesonPearceandMotsontoomuchandlessefforthasbeenputininotherareas. Theeffectsaremostlyprettygoodalthoughitthepatchedimagesareveryobviousattimes.Annoyinglytheyseemtohavehadalimitedamountofmaterialtousebecausetheyregularlyreuseshotsofanimalsandhumansgoingthroughtheirmotions(forexampletheredfacedmonkeywatchingacompetitorgobyisrunloadsoftimes).Thishighlightsthelimitationsandevenifyouareintothefilm(likeIwas)itcan'thelpbutbotheryoubecauseitdoesshowthatperhapsmoreeffortcouldhavebeenputintoit.Idofeelcruelsayingthatbecauseitstilllooksgoodenoughforwhatitis(abitoffunwithonlysomedocumentaryvalue)butitneverlooksconvincingeveniftheeditorsdodeservethemajorityofthepraise.Thesoundtrackisprettypoorlydoneasitjustdropsinsongsfornoreasonandthenfadesthemoutagainandnoneofthemcomplimenttheaction(infacttheydetractsimplybecauserealsportingcoveragedoesn'tdothisforliveevents). OverallthenanamusingcuriositypiecethatIpersonallyfoundmoreinterestingthantheactualrealwinterOlympics.Withlimitedhumourandlimitededucationalvalueitwillnotwinoverpeoplelookingspecificallyforeitherbutitwilldistractbothgroups.Thegreateststrengthisthatitwillprobablyenthralpre-teenchildren,whichiswhyIsupposetheBBCputitintheSundaylateafternoonslot.Strangelyamusingandengagingthenbutnotworthseekingout.…