By Deirdre Crimmins
When a documentary falls flat, it can be hard to pinpoint the weak link in its cinematic chain. Is it a boring subject, unengaging speakers, poor editing, or an entirely different set of missteps? The Hidden Life of Trees is not an outright failure, but its shortcomings in direction and assembly add up.
The good news is that the topic itself is fascinating. The film is based on a book of the same title by German forester Peter Wohlleben, whose dedication to trees and forest preservation comes through on the screen.
Wohlleben talks about trees being social organisms with life cycles and stimuli responses that border on emotions. He talks about the importance of ethical harvesting and maintenance of forests, and helps people understand what non-farmed trees really want from their tree neighbors and their soil. All of this could come across as condescending from a less skilled communicator, but Wohlleben strives to connect with his audience rather than talk at them. It’s clear why director Jörg Adolph wanted to make a film about Wohlleben: He deserves a platform.
Ultimately, the clunkiness of The Hidden Life of Trees lies in the translation of Wohlleben’s book to the screen. When we first see him, Wohlleben is recording himself with his phone, talking about finding old stumps in the forest and discovering that they are surprisingly still alive. He seems friendly and confident, and excited to share his discovery with viewers. The scene is framed by beautiful drone footage of a lush forest and surrounding greenery.
Then the film shifts into an overly literal representation when an English speaker reads what we can only assume is a passage from the book. The sudden pivot from gently spoken German to formally booming nature host is jarring and feels forced, especially given that we were already learning about trees from the man himself.
Trees continues this way—one minute we watch Wohlleben have a personal moment with the oldest tree in the world, talking to its caretakers about root systems and life cycles, and the next we’re presented with an elementary school-level science lesson. This is a pity, because the science and conservation discussion within The Hidden Life of Trees is riveting. Wohlleben is always educating—there are examples of the correct way to harvest trees and also replant them, if at all—and the most interesting lessons come from his interactions with people who want to learn and do better.
The Hidden Life of Trees also does a solid job of showing nature’s splendor. Opting to view a documentary about trees, it’s likely that viewers are hoping for some nature porn, and the film delivers plenty. The forests are vast and calm, and the audience is given time to observe them without being rushed. Using drones for nature shots has become common, but here the drones are shown not only as a tool for filmmakers, but as a way to monitor forest health from above.
Layering the explorations over the drone footage feels seamless, logical, and practical, and the film would be much better if this approach carried throughout it. By dividing itself between literal book adaptation, biography of Wohlleben, and contemplative nature observance, The Hidden Life of Trees gets split down the middle.