Blu-ray Movie Reviews

Imagine a world of incredible color and beauty. Of crabs wearing jellyfish for hats. Of fish disguised as frogs, stones and shag carpets. Of a kaleidoscope of life dancing and weaving, floating and darting in an underwater wonderland. Now, go explore it! Howard Hall and his filmmaking team, who brought you "Deep Sea" and "Into the Deep", take you into tropical waters alive with adventure: the Great Barrier Reef and other South Pacific realms. Narrated by Jim Carrey and featuring astonishing camerawork, this amazing film brings you face to fin with Nature's marvels, from the terrible grandeur (and terrible teeth) of a Great White to the comic antics of a lovestruck cuttlefish. Excitement and fun run deep "Under The Sea".

I’ve always been a huge fan of the IMAX short films. They’re beautifully shot and produced, and they are always loaded with cool things to see and learn. This one is no exception. The film showcases the great barrier reef of Australia and the amazing animals that live there. It is amazing that even after so many nature shows you still see new and exciting things like this. My only complaint was that it felt a bit short. Jim Carrey’s voiceover work is good, and does add a nice touch of humor, but he is definitely a bit more reserved than normal.

IMAX cameras capture considerably more resolution than the traditional 35mm cameras mainly used to shoot films today. While there have been quite a few IMAX films released on Blu-ray, many lack the jaw dropping quality they should exude. This is one of the better presentations I’ve seen of an IMAX film, but still not quite on par with the best. Since most of this is shot underwater, the photography does have a softer look which was to be expected. Still, depth is solid and I loved the rich color and fine detail in close up shots. There are some minor digital artifacts that look like subtle aliasing, but it was hardly distracting. The soundtrack is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio and has its moments. IMAX is just as much about audio as it is video so they made sure to add some dynamics to the mix. Surrounds add a nice sense of envelopment and the film’s score really opens up the main soundstage.

Extras include a look at shooting the film and a breakdown of the different locales used throughout the production.

As entertaining as any other IMAX film, Under the Sea has some brilliant photography work and captivating subjects. The presentation is also on the better side for an IMAX Blu-ray release. Recommended.