"Arctic Tale": Not for the Kids?

I am a sucker for cute animals. Like the masses, I am "rah, rah, rah" in the fight against seal hunting - despite being a leather wearer. So I was excited that a new National Geographic movie was opening. Arctic Tale follows the early lives of a polar bear, Nanu, and a walrus, Seela. This film is being marketed towards kids, yet can freak them out as well.

Queen Latifah provides the narration. Her voice is very spirited and comical in the beginning, which unfortunately was a distraction. When the animals kill, most of the gory violence has been taken out. Instead of the fatal strikes, all I could see was the aftermass - the carcass. But Arctic Tale is not recommended for very young children. A couple of them had to leave my theatre, as the loudness and tense build-ups made them apprehensive.

Luckily for kid-free me, I got to enjoy the two main reasons why I'm a sucker for National Geographic films: the amazing shots, and the emotional link to the animals. How do National Geographic filmmakers get those shots anyways?