Film Review: My Octopus Teacher
© Netflix
I will wager that there will be fewer consumers of cephalopods after experiencing this exploration of one of the strangest and most remarkable creatures that will probably continue to fascinate and baffle scientists for generations. In the spirit of full disclosure – I confess to being a formerly enthusiastic consumer of grilled octopus. However, after reading a book called “The Secret Life of Octopuses” I could not imagine ever consuming a creature so extraordinarily intelligent and clearly sentient. My Octopus Teacher (2020) reinforces that belief and further invites an awareness of the complexities of the natural world. The octopus’ tentacles could be regarded as a metaphor for the interconnectedness of all of the various aspects of that world including the part that humans play.
© Netflix
The compelling story of the salvation of Craig Foster through his relationship with an octopus is simply preposterous on its face. On the other hand, redemption through a rigorous practice of opening oneself up to the mysteries of things outside of our normal human activities will often lead to elevated levels of consciousness, greater understanding and compassion. The director embarks on a personal journey of renewal in response to a period of professional burnout as a naturalist and filmmaker. He finds his path in the kelp forests off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa, an ecosystem so mysterious and filled with otherworldly beauty. He decides he will free dive every day for however long it takes. Early on he comes across a common type of octopus engaging in seemingly unusual behaviors. He becomes obsessed with observing and attempting to understand the scope and motivations behind the wide range of adaptive abilities of this unique creature. If that were all there was to this film it would be more than sufficient to provide gasp-inducing images of sublime gorgeousness.
© Netflix
The fact that Foster has identified the octopus as female and refers to it as “her” and “she” and appears to have developed a reciprocal relationship, allows for an inordinate amount of anthropomorphization, which can get somewhat sentimental, as his quest begins to resemble a magnificent obsession. Fortunately for us, the octopus is a worthy, thoroughly fascinating creature with an astonishing array of capabilities, including radical shape shifting, nano second color and texture changes and mesmerizing control of it’s eight legs with thousands of information-gathering tentacles. Foster’s tenacity over 300 days of observation and filming so many episodes from the life of our teacher, escaping from predators by deceptive disguises, hiding in plain sight, using props creatively, and seeming to outsmart a pajama shark, certainly do make us identify with her. There can be no question about the intelligence and curiosity of the octopus and which we have similarly attributed to dolphins. This deep dive into the kelp forest effectively conveys a profound respect and appreciation for nature and its ability to inspire and teach us all. It is a beautifully taught lesson we cannot learn too often.
Available on Netflix
