When an event film is released, such as Avatar or Harry Potter, the top viewing venue of choice is usually IMAX . But decades before IMAX became the destination to view top grossing mega movies, IMAX was reserved for visually stunning documentary films such as Ring of Fire, Grand Canyon: The Hidden Secrets and Blue Planet. With their inventive camera technology, expansive theater screens, and uniquely laid out seating arrangements, viewing an IMAX documentary film is an experience like none other. IMAX: Under the Sea is the latest IMAX documentary film to be released on DVD, and as with all of them, loses some of the splendor on your home theater system.
Jim Carrey narrates this tale of undersea creatures from the Great Barrier Reef, and adds a much needed comical tone to the fairly droll narrative. At only 40 minutes, IMAX: Under the Sea is standard IMAX documentary run time, but within that we are introduced to many kinds of fish that we don’t get to see very often. The ugly fish are always a kid favorite, and we get plenty of them. Frogfish especially get a lot of screen time, as do cuttlefish, and stonefish. When talking about their mating habits, we even get to see a Cuttlefish love triangle! A nautilus is featured, which is especially cool because they’re so rarely seen. The long and slithery sea snakes were enough to make this Indiana Jones fan cringe, but the kids were completely fascinated by their undersea dance.
The finale shows sharks, sting rays, and then adorable Australian sea lions, saving the best for last. Visually, it’s obvious that this film flourished in IMAX 3D as originally released. Some of that wonder is lost on a DVD player, but not all. IMAX: Under the Sea is still a stunning look under our oceans, and a nice precursor to Disney’s release of Oceans on Earth Day, April 22. The subject matter is always mesmerizing to us land dwellers.
The video is presented in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio, and as stated before, there is something lost in translation from IMAX to DVD. I noticed the edges of the picture were more blurry than the middle. Not enough to distract from the film, but enough to be noticeable.
The lone extra is Filming IMAX: Under the Sea, a standard making of doc that shows the cool IMAX tecnhology. (7:17)
If you have never seen an IMAX documentary film in an IMAX theater, I would highly recommend it. As for this DVD release, if you’re an undersea aficionado or regular viewer of Discovery channel documentaries, this is highly recommended. Otherwise, skip this DVD and see an IMAX doc in theaters.
IMAX presents IMAX: Under The Sea. Directed by: Howard Hall. Narrator: Jim Carrey. Written by: Howard Hall. Running time: 40 minutes. Rating: G. Released on DVD: March 30, 2010. Available at Amazon.com.
