Wonders of the Sea 3D (2017)

Directed by: Jean-Michel Cousteau, Jean-Jacques Mantello | 83 minutes | documentary | Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger

In ‘Wonders of the Sea’, the French oceanographer Jean-Michel Cousteau (son of the renowned Jacques Cousteau), accompanied by his son and daughter, takes the viewer on a journey of discovery through the fascinating underwater world. The coral reefs of Fiji, the mangroves off the west coast of California or the island paradise south of the US that we call the Bahamas; numerous special places are reviewed. Thanks to the most modern camera equipment, the beautiful marine life in many of its rich forms also comes to life. The venomous lionfish, graceful hammerhead and reef sharks, adorable clownfish, immense lobsters, colorful octopuses and some of the world’s most charismatic marine mammals are examples of creatures that make an appearance in the rich array of underwater wildlife that passes by.

Some of the commentary is provided by action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger, a man who has been a strong advocate for a cleaner environment throughout his political career as governor of California. The last quarter of ‘Wonders of the Sea’ focuses on the threats and problems facing the oceans today, reminding us that the myriad of life we ​​have just witnessed may be temporary. Corals are bleaching on a massive scale due to the warming and acidification of the world’s seas, while plastic is now becoming a real bane for marine life. Penetrating images of dead, barren and virtually stripped of life reefs reinforce the message of Cousteau and Schwarzenegger: if we want our seas to remain beautiful and healthy, we must finally dare to take concrete and far-reaching measures on the political and economic level. It is good that that message is not missing, but it is sometimes a bit forced and superficial in ‘Wonders of the Sea’.

Although Cousteau and Schwarzenegger’s message is absolutely right and there is nothing wrong with the nature images we are presented with, ‘Wonders of the Sea’ lacks that extra dose of urgency to really distinguish itself from some other high-quality nature documentaries. that have appeared in recent years. Moreover, the somewhat corny, sometimes very rehearsed-looking conversations between the Cousteau family members sometimes distract from the core and content of the film. A series like ‘Blue Planet II’, for example, tells the story of the world’s seas (including the problems and unsatisfactory future prospects) in a more profound, original, subtle and fascinating way. Despite the visual spectacle, ‘Wonders of the Sea’ remains a somewhat superficial film about the broad spectrum of life in our oceans.