Pole to Pole with Will Smith – Documentary Review

Will Smith makes it to the top of a 300 foot ice wall. — Will Smith makes it to the top of a 300-foot ice wall. National Geographic/Freddie Claire, 2026.

This is a documentary series like no other. Following Will Smith and a series of interdisciplinary experts from around the world, Pole to Pole showcases the beauty of our planet in harmony with all of its living things.

I was provided an advanced screener of Pole to Pole with Will Smith for free for review. The opinions I have shared are my own.

Smith serves as the documentary’s everyman– a face with whom many audiences are familiar, now dropped into unfamiliar places and situations. We accompany him as he treks across the South Pole, wrestles an anaconda, works to preserve dead languages, and ultimately seeks to find himself within the world. His sense of humor plays nicely in even the most extreme situations, but is countered by an honest sense of wonder and humility in the presence of nature.

Scientist Bryan Fry, Will Smith and Carla Perez walk through the cave as they hunt down new critters. — Scientist Bryan Fry, Will Smith, and Carla Perez walk through the cave as they hunt down new critters. National Geographic, 2026.

Pole to Pole is easily one of the most beautiful docu-series National Geographic has released, highlighting the different ecosystems that exist across our planet. Sunlight polar ice caps, sunset over the Kalahari, and caves of the Amazon are all beautifully captured on film. Their grandeur reminds audiences of our own small place on the planet and that it will take our collective efforts to care for it. Messages of conservation are strewn throughout the series. Many of the experts accompanying Smith explain how one small act can tip the scales for the entire planet and that we must act as stewards to protect it.

Though Pole to Pole is not just about nature. It is also about humans. The series explores how human cultures are deeply impacted by their environment and how climate change may be the end of several indigenous peoples. Not only does climate impact their ability to find food, but it may also result in the complete inability to inhabit different parts of the world safely, forcing many cultures to leave behind their histories and ways of life.

Will Smith visits a monastary where he learns how the monks find happiness. According to Sonam, when we encounter a very bad moment, or incident in our life, there is no other way to find happiness than within yourself. — Will Smith visits a monastery where he learns how the monks find happiness. According to Sonam, when we encounter a very bad moment or incident in our lives, there is no other way to find happiness than within ourselves. National Geographic/Kyle Christy, 2026.

By respecting the relationship between humans and the Earth, Will’s team of experts propose new ways to protect all living things. Be it curing cancer with venomous spiders or revolutionizing the future of green energy with arctic phytoplankton, Pole to Pole will help you unravel the intricacies of the planet we call home.

Will Smith’s Pole to Pole premieres January 13, 2026, on Nat Geo, and on January 14, 2026, on Disney+ and Hulu.

Author: Abby Kirby

Abby Kirby is an English teacher and fan studies scholar. She holds an M.A. in Media and Cinema Communications from DePaul University.

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