Blue Planet II Movie Review

Blue Planet II

Blue Planet II
Cast: David Attenborough, Peter Drost, Roger Munns
Director: David Attenborough
Rating:
Runtime: 60 mins

David Attenborough's return to his favourite haunts, the world of Oceans, in this sequel, is a sight to behold. The first edition, acclaimed by all, was wondrous and awe-inspiring, allowing us to see deeply into the world that we've rarely given much thought to. This sequel takes us deeper into the Ocean, filming rare and unusual creatures of the deep, as well as documenting the myriad problems faced by our oceans. It reportedly took Attenborough four years, 125 expeditions across 39 countries and over 6000 hours of underwater dive footage to achieve this masterpiece of epic proportions. Blue Planet II is a beautifully crafted series about the watery world that we tend to neglect in our rampant desire for the material benefits of man-made artificiality. It's really hard to describe the wonders of the Ocean that Attenborough reveals to us. Its colourful feels touchingly real and is enchanting as it scopes us through many mysteries that we'd never have realised existed.

The documentary explores different regions of the sea, including the deep sea chasms, the crowded coral reef, delicate ecosystems, and the many creatures that reside around and within them. The layout is picturesque and the detailing is simply incredible. Though over 90, Attenborough's accompanying voiceover commentary is steady and inspiring.

Attenborough's UHD camera captures the most breath-taking visuals you can ever imagine. The undersea photography not only documents the sea creatures and their habitats but also indulges us with their unique intelligence and quirks. The narrative accompaniment allows for educational, illustrative and eye-popping engagement. Many of the creatures and their environments captured here are ones we've never seen or imagined existed, before. But it's not all beautiful here. Attenborough's camera also captures the uglier side of human behaviour. The destruction we are causing our oceans and the creatures within are thrown at us in vivid detail. The bleached coral reefs, water pollution, environmental waste and other forms of human callousness are documented to shocking effect. The message for conservation of Ocean life and restriction of pollutants being released into Oceans is clearly underlined.

The state of the art filming techniques employed here, awe-inspiring underwater camerawork, extra-ordinary orchestral background score and a narrative spiel that gradually mesmerises you with it's audacious, the mind-boggling extravagance of discovery makes it hard for anyone (young or old) to look away. In terms of technique and content, Attenborough's work here is a step above all of its ilk. This documentary is without a doubt, spellbinding!

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