Panthera Britannia

Are there big cats roaming the British countryside?

This fascinating documentary investigates whether large, exotic mammals such as pumas and panthers live inside the woods of Britain. With a rich collection of knowledge by interviewees that include experts on mysterious wildlife and eyewitnesses, this film theorises that it is possible that such animals might actually exist in the british wilderness.

The film hypothesises that wild cats were deliberately released into the wild by their owners and that such animals could have been living in Britain's countryside for centuries.

The interviewees include Ken Gerhard, a cryptozoologist, Dr. Darren Naish, an author and palaeontologist, Dr. Isla Fishburn, an animal behaviour expert and Cliff Barackman, a wildlife expert and TV presenter. These individuals, along with other experts, enthusiastically share their knowledge regarding how wild felines could had ended up existing in Britain and what types of them could be residing there. Other interviewees consist of numerous eye-witnesses who claim to have seen such animals decades ago or in the past few years and listening to their accounts and the experts is quite intriguing.

As well as wonderful shots of British landscapes, this feature also contains plenty of footage showing feline animals such as cheetahs, pumas and panthers and many photographs of felines. There are also reconstructions of the times when people have stated that they have encountered unusual animals and news footage about large felines in Britain. Regarding footage, perhaps the most intriguing part is footage that shows what appears to be a large wild cat in the countryside.

Rob Sharp does a great job with the narration and Everett's amazing work on the creative editing stands out. Commendations also go the sequences that involve 3D graphics and to the dynamic and suspenseful music.

Thanks to its subject and effective filmmaking, this documentary is a thrilling and informative viewing. It will most likely appeal to those who have a keen interest in the existence of mysterious animals and make them wonder what exists in the British wilderness.