Despite the amazing technical advances made in recent modern films like Avatar, there is nothing quite so breathtakingly glorious as the wonders of the natural world, as this beautifully filmed documentary proves. No special effects designer has ever conceived of stranger sights that the denizens of the seven seas. Using nothing but reality, we are given a treat for the eyes that matches anything ever conceived by the mind of man.
To be fair, though, technology did play a hand in bringing us these amazing images. This is not the first documentary about the oceans but it’s the best and the reason for that is the advancement in digital technology. The deep sea photography is unequaled here, bringing you right into reefs and others aquatic domains where bizarre creatures crawl, swim and nest. We see every fin, claw, tooth and gill with crystal clarity. Bravo to the talented undersea photographers who got shots that leave you asking “How in the world did they manage to film that?”
This is a co-production of Disney and the French Film industry. Coming on the heels of another excellent documentary Earth, directors Jacques Cluzaud and Jacques Perrin (who brought us Winged Migration) have made another in the rare genre of family friendly documentaries. Much like the appealing 2005 documentary March of the Penguins, this is very suitable for children. The violence of the hunter/prey relationship is toned down and there are no scenes of mating. Instead, the cuteness factor is highlighted. Scenes of mother seals snuggling with their young are surefire feel-good moments. The proceedings are narrated by former Bond actor Pierce Brosnan, who talks in a soft Mr. Rogers tone, accompanied by orchestral music.
The cheerful colors of the oceans belie its dangers. Some scenes of various, multi-hued aquatic residents scurrying about seem almost like a heavily choreographed technicolor musical of the forties. When a bright red clown fish appears, delighted children in the audience shout “Nemo!”
This film covers a wide variety of sea life: whales, dolphins, crabs, sharks, eels, salmon, tuna, and so many others. From the massive blue whale, the largest creature in the world, to tiny hermit crabs, the variety of life seems limitless under the sea. Brosnan’s narration tells us that the oceans have experimented with every possible shape and we get treated to the sight of creatures that would be considered the stuff of nightmares on the surface. Take, for example, the rock fish who appears to be a craggy stone until its mouth opens to swallow unsuspecting prey. And wait till you get a look at the Asian sheepshead wrasse!
And there are also those animals who share both the land and the sea, such as turtles, sea birds, seals and polar bears. There is a powerful shot of an iguana lounging on a stone, watching a rocket launch through the distant skies.
The narration reminds us that man is the greatest threat to the oceans. Shots of bottom trawling fish caught and killed in nets are quite sad after seeing the creatures enjoying the freedom of the seas. Perhaps the most sadly memorable sight is of a seal examining a discarded, sunken shopping cart.
But despite these moments, the film is entertaining, educational and fit for the whole family. The poetic visuals will stay with you long after you’ve left the theater.
"Oceans" opens April 23, 2010 and is not rated. Documentary. Directed by Jacques Cluzaud, Jacques Perrin. Written by Jacques Cluzaud and Jacques Perrin. Starring Pierce Brosnan.
