 “Grizzly Man” is a stunning, controversial film that chronicles the life and death of Timothy Treadwell, a bear enthusiast who spent thirteen consecutive summers in the Katmai National Park and Preserve of Alaska with bears. Treadwell was passionate about bears, in his desire to both study and protect them.
The film is a combination of Treadwell’s own footage, which was found after his death, and interviews with people who knew or were involved with Treadwell. It is an intense film with beautiful imagery and scenes.
“Grizzly Man” is controversial because Treadwell interacted very intimately with the bears, a feat that many deem unsafe. Others claim that Treadwell’s interaction with wild bears could cause them to lose some of their wild instincts. Some even claim that Treadwell’s actions threatened the bears. He was warned repeatedly by park officials that his interaction with the bears was unsafe to both him and the bears. Despite the controversy and opposing views, it is clear that Treadwell possessed an overwhelming love for bears and his intentions were pure.
Deb Liggett, superintendent at Katmai and Lake Clark national parks, stated two years before Treadwell’s death, “at best he’s misguided, at worst, he’s dangerous.” Treadwell spent thirteen summers with the bears, amounting to more than 35,000 hours of direct interaction.
Then, in 2003, Treadwell and his girlfriend were attacked, killed, and partially eaten by a bear. The offending bear was shot dead, an action that would have outraged Treadwell. As Treadwell himself claimed, “I will protect these bears with my last breath,” and he may have just done that.
Charlie Russell, a bear expert who also lived with bears and friend of Treadwell, commented on the film, saying that “most people now see him only the way [the film] skillfully wanted [the] audience to see him; as an idiot who continually ‘crossed nature’s line,’ whatever that means. Perhaps, in [the director’s mind], nature’s line is something behind which bears and other nasty things reside who will inevitably kill you if you go there without a gun.”
Russell raises an interesting point. Humanity evolved with nature and it was only very recently in human history that we became separated from nature. All other animals freely roam in the natural world. Modern humans try to forget that we too are animals. We metabolize energy the same as other mammals, we produce offspring as other animals, and we evolved from other animals. How is it that other animals can freely live in nature while humans must stay out? When did we lose the right to be in nature? Granted, there are ethics involved, and we have a responsibility to protect nature from ourselves. So did Treadwell cross the line?
“Grizzly Man” raises many environmental ethics questions and is stunning to watch. It reminds viewers that wild animals really aren’t as scary as they are made to be. Yet the conclusion of Treadwell’s life reminds us that wild animals are unpredictable. The dichotomy between those two facts may leave you unsettled.
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