THE ELEPHANT QUEEN
Animals Have Families Too
What You Need To Know
THE ELEPHANT QUEEN, a documentary on Apple TV Plus (TV+), follows Athena, a matriarch elephant and her family as they make the long journey across the African savannah to find refuge for the dry season. THE ELEPHANT QUEEN presents a well-told, heartfelt story about a family of elephants that keeps viewers intrigued throughout, but MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution for pre-teenage children because of some scenes with dead animals and frogs mating.
The family is a group of females lead by Athena, a 50-year-old elephant and the matriarch. Athena has a daughter named Princess. Three of the other elephants that are followed are Marla and her daughter, Mimi, and a young elephant named WeWe.
Athena and her family live in a place referred to as “The Kingdom,” close to a waterhole. Along with following this family of elephants, the documentary also follows some of the animals that also call “The Kingdom” and the waterhole home, like beetles, geese, frogs, turtles, and some tiny fish.
Athena and her family soak up all the time they have at their home until the waterhole begins to dry into thick mud. At this time, Athena knows it’s time to start the long journey to a place where they can find refuge during the dry season. The family sets off to cross the deadly terrain, a long journey that requires strength that some of the elephants don’t have.
As the elephants make their way to the dry season refuge, others stay behind to find shelter underground in “The Kingdom” to wait out the dry season. Will the animals survive the dry season and make it back to “The Kingdom?” Or will some succumb to nature and the horrible drought and starvation that’s on the horizon?
THE ELEPHANT QUEEN plays almost like a Disney Nature doc, with a well-told, heartfelt story of a family who encounters the best and worst of what nature has to offer. The journey across the African savannah brings them closer together as they fight to stay alive. The story is emotional and shows how even animals need help from their family to endure the elements. The narration helps add emotion to the story, along with the incredible music and colors. Some inventive and unique camera shots are also used to help tell the story.
THE ELEPHANT QUEEN has a strong moral worldview as the matriarch, and family of elephants, will do anything to protect one another. The family goes through love, loss and the excitement of new life all at once. There’s a hint of environmentalism as the breed of elephant showcased is endangered. There are also some scenes that include dead animals and animals mating. So, MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution for pre-teenage children.
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements
Very strong moral worldview as families protect and love each other through good and bad times, and new life is celebrated, plus some light environmentalist elements mentioning endangered species
Foul Language
No obscenities or profanities, but elephants are shown defecating, and beetles are shown landing in the elephant feces to form a ball of feces and takes it with them to bury and slowly eat
Violence
Some animals try to hunt one another, frogs eat other smaller frogs, dead animals are shown, a young elephant dies, and animal skulls are shown
Sex
Frogs and fish are shown mating
Nudity
Naturalistic animal nudity such as seen a young elephant calf gets milk from it’s mother’s nipple
Alcohol Use
No alcohol
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse
No smoking or drugs;
Miscellaneous Immorality
Nothing else objectionable.
