A NATURE documentary about birds marching backwards and forwards to raise a single chick; a bit of a turkey? Well, no actually. Emperor penguins to be exact and boy do they live up to their name.

Firstly, this is no ordinary documentary. Director Luc Jacquet gets more from his cast than any Hollywood feature filmmaker, Morgan Freeman's narration is sublime and the score by Alex Wurman is aural bliss.

But enough about them, let's talk about the real stars of the show.

The penguins' story of devotion and survival begins with them leaving the sea and waddling and belly-surfing across 70 miles of ice to their breeding ground.

Immediately I was struck by the epic cinematography. You get a real sense of Antarctica's vast isolation and get the opportunity to marvel at how anything could survive in this stark environment.

Jacquet manages to capture the humour of these tuxedoed birds as they trot, single-file to find a mate. As much as I tried to fight it, penguins skidding over on the ice is always funny.

Once the female lays her single egg, she promptly passes it to her mate and begins the trek back to the sea to find food. That's my girl.

As winter sets in, the males usually an argumentative bunch forget their grievances and huddle together against the 150mph winds and bitter cold, protecting their eggs beneath the mesmerising Southern Lights.

Finally, the chicks hatch and the mothers return and for a short time the family is reunited.

All I can say is anyone who remains unmoved by the penguins' graceful display of affection at this point must have a heart of stone. We watch the chicks grow stronger, while the parents journey back and forth, taking turns to nurture their offspring. It's an impressive feat and makes you appreciate the dedication of these enchanting creatures.

The penguins' journey, fuelled by the urge to reproduce, makes for a moving plot line better than anything I have seen recently and the camera work is simply beautiful.

The humour cuts through any sentimentality and the film subtly reinforces the fact Antarctica is a delicate, precious environment which we should be keen to protect from the ravages of global warming.

Overall, March of the Penguins is a magical film and I feel privileged to have been let into the secretive world of these genuinely fascinating birds.