Actor and environmentalist Pierce Brosnan narrates this wide-ranging documentary on the mysteries and marvels of the ocean and the creatures that reside there. Directors Alastair Fothergill and Andy Byatt sent 20 skilled camera teams to more than 200 locations over five years to capture the images in this astonishing overview of the waters that occupy over 70 percent of the Earth's surface. Less than 10 percent of the ocean has been explored by humans to date. That is why some of the scenes, including a sequence in which filmmakers went down 15,000 feet into the deep blue to catch images of the weird forms of life in the dark, are so intriguing. The stirring music by George Fenton performed by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra adds immeasurably to the emotional clout of the documentary.
Those who just can't get enough of playful dolphins leaping into the air as they ride waves will be thrilled with all the coverage given these wonderful animals. The survival of the fittest in the ocean is conveyed through several chilling sequences: one in which dolphins, whaler sharks, and gannet seabirds gobble up gigantic swarms of sardines, and another in which some orcas attack baby sea lions and after they have killed them, fling their bodies into the air in a display of triumph. Another fearsome scene involves a very hungry polar bear mother who needs food to feed her cub: she comes upon an ice holes that Beluga whales are using to breathe.
Some of the most startling creatures include a "walking bush" that comes out at night, a large group of blue soldier crabs on a beach doing their thing, emperor penguins during mating season, turtles with tiny fish larvae attached to them, and a massive blue whale. The wildlife depicted in this documentary are definitely "other" and our entry into their world is one that should be seen as a humble privilege.
Special DVD features include "The making of Deep Blue" featurette.
