Overrated and overhyped

Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

This is a nature documentary narrated by David Attenborough. For that reason alone, it deserves a 10, as his film (such as "Earth") are simply the best made, most interesting and most innovative you can find...period. Here in "Elephants: Spy in the Herd", filmmakers use a 'dung-cam' to surreptitiously record the actions of herds of elephants for a year. What is a dung-cam? They are cameras hidden in what appear to be innocuous piles of elephant droppings! The cameras varied and were stationary, mobile as well as floating!! The rather near- sighted elephants GENERALLY didn't notice them and they got lots of footage that you'd have a devil of a time getting otherwise! So be prepared to see elephants fighting (I actually witnessed this myself in South Africa a year ago!), lots and lots of adorable babies as well as some surprising behaviors, such as elephants appearing to grieve, showing curiosity as well as playing! A wonderful and extremely well made nature film that nature-lovers really must see.By the way, if you like this type of film, also try to see BBC's "Penguins: Spy in the Huddle" in which fake penguins with hidden cameras were used to infiltrate the flocks! Amazing!!