Deep Blue, a feature-length selection of highlights from the BBC documentary series The Blue Planet is a sweeping movie that takes its audience straight into the vast depths of the ocean - from the joyous, dazzling surface waves all the way to the deep chasms and nocturnal landscapes. Directors Alastair Fothergill and Andy Byatt put together 20 specialized camera teams and shot over 7,000 hours of footage over a five-year period. They spent time in more than 200 locations and went down in powerful submersible crafts as far as 5,000 meters. Amazingly, some new species of sea creatures were discovered, and a number were photographed for the very first time.
The film is narrated by Michael Gambon (Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) and has a critically acclaimed orchestral soundtrack from the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.
Although those who want a deeper, more meaningful experience into this fascinating part of our world would be well-advised to watch the entire Blue Planet series, Deep Blue offers a unique opportunity to see the visuals on the big screen. This documentary has been widely praised by critics and should be well-received on its release in North America. (Kim Hollis/BOP)