Netflix ‘Nightmares of Nature’ Season 2 Review - Same as the Previous Installment

Wow, season 2 came a lot faster than I expected. And just like the first season, this season also relies on presenting a documentary-style plot in the form of a horror movie. The difference between this and an actual horror movie is that instead of humans, we see animals. The show starts with the scene of a laboratory in an old abandoned building, where the lights are switching on and off by themselves. Slowly, the scenes shift towards the protagonist of the story, a young opossum searching for snacks.  But that’s not what the start is. We are taken to the Central American Jungle where the baby opossum lives with its family. The narrator gives us a brief of the opossum as an animal, telling us that it is nocturnal in nature and that they have been around since the time of dinosaurs.  Life for an opossum is not easy. To find their food, they must be cautious to avoid becoming prey for predators. The opossum has to make sure that no matter what happens, they don’t venture into the laboratory, or else their death is ensured. But one night, this small family decides to get out of their nest. They don’t know the dangers that lie ahead. While that happens, we shift towards the iguanas' siblings and how they are preyed upon in water, in a spectacular way. One of them is even eaten up.  Then comes into the picture a mother spider. She, too, is a source of food like the others. What is common between these protagonists is the fact that in the subsequent episode, they are separated from their families. Will they survive in the wild? Will they reunite with their families?

So this is supposed to be an educational documentary, but rather it ends up becoming a horror show for animals. As a result, we are distracted and frightened by the music and dramatic presentation. For example, the lab feels no less than the houses shown in horror movies like The Conjuring, etc. There is a sudden music that comes up when a deadly predator is introduced or when an animal is killed. This creates a sense of fear in us, which prevents us from concentrating on what exactly is happening in the series. This was the same issue I had with the first season, too. And sadly, in the second season, they just ended up increasing the levels of jump scares.

Other than that, I did like the storytelling. The makers are clear to show us who all the protagonists of the series are. The entire series ends up personifying them. This does add to a sense of intrigue. The fierce battle of survival is shown in a way that, although it is a natural process, ends up becoming a story. Also, they don’t focus on the regular dangerous animals. Instead, the lesser-known animals like opossums and iguanas are shown to us. This does add to our knowledge base.

However, I must add that for those of you who get uncomfortable because of snakes and insects, this might not be your best watch. The series is full of them, and it may lead many to grasp for air. I, too, felt a little scared due to the close-up shots of alligators, insects, snakes, etc., and trust me, I can feel those people who feel puckish after witnessing them. For the wildlife lovers, this is once again a great watch for you, though there are a few drawbacks that you can overlook.

Final Score- [7/10]
Reviewed by - Neerja Ch
Follow @NeerjaCH on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times