Deep Sea

Like others, I had very high hopes when I heard that Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet would be narrating this IMAX film, and that Danny Elfman would be doing the score. However, I was quite disappointed in those elements that attracted my attention to the movie.

The style of Winslet and Depp's narration might be fine for kids, I suppose, but I found it very irritating. Perhaps I'm brainwashed by decades of authoritative-sounding old men with big voices narrating nature documentaries, but I don't think that's all it is. The narration style here is just silly. And not in a good way (although the way Winslet and Depp voiced the exchange I used as the title of my review did provoke plenty of unintentional(?) laughter, and my girlfriend and I still quote the lines occasionally).

Danny Elfman's score, while not outright bad like the narration, did strike me as overwrought and corny (again, I suppose it's fine if viewed as intended only for young children).

And as another reviewer has also noted, the foley was really over the top in this documentary. The fake squealing vocalizations of the sea creatures was particularly irksome and inappropriate.

The film is still worth watching for the amazing underwater footage, but shots intended to be seen in IMAX 3D don't have the same overwhelming impact on the TV screen.

The 40 minute IMAX experience makes it's way to DVD without any additions, minus the 3D glasses. For better or worse what home viewers are still left with remains nothing short of stunning the entire stretch of time. Against all marketing intuitions, the short documentary still remains absolutely captivating from the first frame with it's charming portrayal of some of the ocean's less represented characters. Aided by the eerie luminescence of Danny Elfman's score and playful narration from Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet, Deep Sea 3D might pale in comparison to the original experience but for anyone even half-interested in the revelations of nature, particularly occurring in the alternate universes miles below us, the spectacular, too-beautiful-to-be-real visuals present will remain nothing short of miraculous with each subsequent viewing.

2006's 'Deep Sea 3D' is one of several documentary short films presented in IMAX 3D. These short films are mostly quite interesting, but their overall quality is of the flawed and inconsistent but generally worthwhile kind. The effects have also varied. Underwater is always fascinating, often re-visited in nature documentaries but it never feels old when re-visited and a lot is learned every time without being recycled. Also like Kate Winslet and Johnny Depp as actors.

On the whole, 'Deep Sea 3D' was pretty well done. It is far from being one of the best IMAX 3D documentaries and has a few major debits. 'Deep Sea 3D' has many fantastic things however, and they do far outweigh the debits. The subject and location may not be new, but really liked the approach taken with the material and admired what was done to make it accessible, none of it felt old hat either.

Am going to start with what could have been done better. Like most of the IMAX 3D documentaries, 'Deep Sea 3D' does feel too short. With a lot of content, this could very comfortably have been 20 minutes longer perhaps which would have given the viewer more time to take in the information and also learn more.

'Deep Sea 3D' is one of the few IMAX nature documentaries where the narration didn't work for me entirely, was pretty mixed on it actually. Much of the writing is informative and interesting, but was less keen on the delivery. It would have worked a lot better with just one narrator, with Winslet being better suited as she is more expressive and her tone fitted the atmosphere better. Depp didn't seem as involved and the backing and forthing did distract and could have been used a lot less.

Can't fault everything else. 'Deep Sea 3D' looks incredible for one thing, with the photography being particularly awe-inspiring. Have not seen coral reefs look this beautiful in a while. The Undersea world dazzles visually, those gorgeous colours, though one is aware without being beaten round the head that it poses daily challenges for the wildlife. This is also one of the more successful IMAX 3D nature documentaries when it comes to the 3D effects, which actually doesn't look cheap, too gimmicky or/and too reliant upon.

The music, with an accessible style, is relaxing in some parts while having some edge in other parts. The animals are a great mix of adorable, formidable and exotic.

When it comes to the information, it is very educational without preachiness or being gimmicky. Familiar content still being approached freshly, and in a way that will captivate and never disturb kids while not being cookie cutter. More to this than beautiful wildlife in a beautiful habitat.

Perfect 'Deep Sea 3D' is not, but there is a lot to admire. 7/10.

This was a great movie experience. A major part of this was the 3D effect.

My children were frequently reaching out in front of them. To be honest I wanted to do so as well.

The visuals would be great even if they were not in 3d.

There was a lot of good information on the biology of the ocean.

Most of the film consisted of one creature eating another. My four year old seemed to be OK with it though.

Cool!

A nit: At times there was bleed-through on the polarized 3d glasses. I don't know if that was due to the glasses or a general side-effect.

This is a good documentary and the shots and coverage of the deep ocean is quite pleasing(and harrowing in places). However, with the advent of instant access to so much content, there isn't anything here that you won't find in better resolution on Netflix or Amazon. Still, if you enjoy documentaries or have even the slightest of fascination with sea life I feel you can spend an hour and some time with Deep Sea.