The lone hero (or heroine) emerges. Almost gets ambushed by a villain, but gets away by just a whisker. Except the villains’ cronies are everywhere. A heart-stopping chase is on! Can our hero/heroine get away?
Before your imagination runs away with you, this action flick doesn’t star Dhanush, Vikram or Darshan. Instead it’s a recently hatched baby Marine Iguana facing impossible odds against Racer Snakes. The sequence, featured on BBC’s "Planet Earth 2" was shot on the Fernandina Islands in the Galapagos.
The sequence opens with the iguana making an impressive jump onto a rock to escape a snake that's hot on its heels. It then stands completely still on the sand, as the snake makes its way around the rock, looking for its elusive prey. Thankfully, the snake's eyesight isn't the greatest, and it almost slithers right past the iguana, which is waiting with bated breath.
Suddenly though, the snake is back on its trail. And there begins an amazing chase. Grab some popcorn and watch the full sequence here:
The video, which is as thrilling as any of the Bourne films, has caught the internet’s attention, going wildly viral. And it’s got everybody talking about it:
watching this is the most stressed out ive ever been in my lifepic.twitter.com/tDu61vXdEb
— A-TrainKickz (@ATrainKickz) November 7, 2016
That iguana telling his story of how he escaped 100 snakes seconds after being born. #planetearth2 pic.twitter.com/YUQwxGE9Ay
— Matt Weldt (@MattWeldt) November 6, 2016
If they're looking for a new bond, they should approach that Iguana #planetearth2 @BBCEarth pic.twitter.com/SLssvRD69q
— TOM SHARMAN (@TOMSHARMANWEB) November 6, 2016
#planetearth2 makes Monday morning seem less daunting. At least I'm not an iguana or a chinstrap penguin
— Lucy Cooke (@mslucycooke) November 6, 2016
Possibly the greatest scene in documentary history. Incredible. #PlanetEarth2 pic.twitter.com/HCJlvH7tgH
— Billionaires (@BiIlionaires) November 8, 2016
What many people wanted to know was how this amazing sequence was shot:
@krishashok yes the iguana video is a lot more nerve racking though, what epic camera work
— Shiladitya M (@shiladitya) November 7, 2016
@shiladitya yeah! Think they used drones for this kind of footage? Especially the moving shots of the entire snake horde
— Krish Ashok (@krishashok) November 7, 2016
@krishashok no drones would have disturbed them also don't think they respond so fast, it's likely old school telephoto like a sports shot
— Shiladitya M (@shiladitya) November 7, 2016
That camera work & the music! You'll find yourself cheering baby iguanas while on the edge of your seat, heart rate rising with every second
— Krish Ashok (@krishashok) November 7, 2016
And of course, there were comparisons to the bloody penguin fight which went viral a few days ago.
First the cheating penguin wife and now this iguana running from snakes. Its been an emotional ass week in the Animal Kingdom.
— Gina Darling (@MissGinaDarling) November 8, 2016
If you haven't seen the penguin fight or the iguana dodging snakes you're missing out. National Geo is LIT
— Dan (@Dann_TheeMan) November 8, 2016
The penguin video is life, the iguana video is the way life ought to be.
— The Duke of KoЯnwall (@ThomasAwful) November 7, 2016
The penguin video featured another dramatic film plot, with a male penguin attacking another male that is with its female mate. Watch the penguin fight video here: