Deep Blue

 

Picture: B-     Sound: B-     Extras: C     Film: B

 

 

Nature films seem a dime a dozen and they get made all the time, with even a subgenre of those who seem obsessed with animals mutilating, killing and eating each other since the 1980s.  Fortunately, The BBC and Discovery Channel (on their own or together) produce some of the better works in the field, with The Blue Planet! an unqualified success.  Deep Blue wants to go further and succeeds well, offering great new experiences over and over again.

 

From land creatures like penguins (the new fun animal lately) to crabs, jellyfish, sharks, seals and polar bears, to the actual locations becoming characters, this is the nature film done right with fine editing, directing and opportunity (in part through solid financial backing) to document and show off these barley touched the outside world.  Like all successful works in this “genre” of documentary, it is very rewatchable and the voice over by Pierce Brosnan is terrific.

 

The anamorphically enhanced 1.85 X 1 image is nice, clear, colorful and has the kind of crystal clarity you would expect on a film shot at sea and underwater.  Some difficult shots were captured and the entire production is a pleasure to watch visually throughout.  The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is nice and pleasant as well, with classical music and the like, though DTS would have been a plus.  Extras just include an hour-long making of piece, but it is very interesting and worth seeing after seeing the feature.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo