Aliens of the Deep
Starring: James CameronDirector: James Cameron, Steven Quale
Studio: Buena Vista Home Vid
MPAA Rating: G (General Audience)
Format: Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, Dolby
Running Time: 99 minutes
DVD Release: January 8th 2006
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DVD Review
James Cameron takes another foray into the depths with a new deep-sea documentary. Following the shipwreck of Ghosts of the Abyss, Cameron focuses his abundant energies on where life is not powered by sunlight. These implications are taken a bit further, thanks to some dandy effects, on how life may develop in the ice-covered waters of Jupiter's moons. Some of the newly seen creatures are truly amazing: a fish with feet, shrimp that can swim between boiling hot steam and icy currents. Plus there's a cute creature that looks like something from an animator's portfolio: an albino octopus with fins. Like Ghosts, this film is significantly different on DVD. Both were presented in IMAX 3-D but are only 2-D on DVD; however, also included are extended versions, doubling the original's 45-minute run time. The added footage gets you more in-depth coverage of the crew and the missions. Cameron is also an expert host, showing his enthusiasm for the project ("I love this stuff!") while letting his younger scientist co-stars lead the way. (Ages 6 and older) --Doug Thomas
User Reviews
*Vastly* Exceeded My Expectations - Rating: 5/5
I've watched the entire "Cosmos" (Carl Sagan's) video series perhaps as many as 50+ times over the past 20 years, and am still not tired of it, but this... this incredible movie went so far beyond anything I could have expected that I'm going to have to return to see it, in 3D, *at* IMAX, multiple times.
The visual impact is just like "being there", in fact, it's no doubt very much better (because of the time factor) than even taking an actual ride in this vehicle... and, the speculations of exploring Europa's undersea area was a climax that tied the whole current project together with the most elaborate visions that NASA could have dreamed up.
This could be a much longer review, but there's no time, except to encourage those who might be in the least inclined to go see this film at IMAX in 3D without delay. This is one that no high-definition TV can recreate for you, at least at the levels of technology we have now or can expect in the home, in the next 20 years. And, if you feel this review is too enthusiastic, after seeing the movie, all I can say is that I'm sorry for you.
I worked at JPL for 10+ years and was personally responsible for managing the development and flight-hardware fabrication & calibration of the Voyager's wide-angle sun detectors, as well as for a number of other, lesser tasks. Since that time I've followed the thinking about Humankind's future in space, but *this* movie, again, went beyond anything I could have even dreamed of expecting.
Once again, the visual impact, the way the 3D camera captures the people in these deep-sea vehicles themselves as well as the incredible organism near the volcanic vents 10,000 feet down in the open ocean, is fantastic. Go See It!!!
Science and Science Fiction from James Cameron - Rating: 3/5
To me there is something completely unnatural about going the places in the ocean that this film takes us. I find it creepy down there and would never go there for real. Of course I have a father who is a scuba diver who would never live in New York, which is where I'm now living. It's the way the universe balances itself out. As a fan of James Cameron of course I would prefer if he went back to making regular feature films. There he achieved greatness twice with "Titanic" and "Terminator 2," and made many other films that were very good. However, he has a right to make what he wants and I feel as though this film and "Ghosts of the Abyss" are both strong movie that provide some much needed variety to cinema. In "Aliens of the Deep" Cameron and his crew once again travel to the depths of the ocean and take us along for the ride. It really is an ingenious use of the IMAX screen. I just don't understand why 7th grade science class couldn't have been this interesting. The entertainment value taken out of this film is directly related to the education being dropped on you. I would much rather learn through this method as opposed to dusty old textbooks and dusty old professors. Cameron knows that you sometimes need a flair for the dramatics, and that the knowledge itself is not enough to lure young minds in. I was fascinated by some of the fish I saw, and by learning that some do not even need sunlight to sustain life. I would probably argue that by the end Cameron may have taken his flair for the dramatics a wee bit too far, but I can't fault him too much for that. As he takes us on an imaginary journey to Jupiter's moon Europa I couldn't help but think that he had fallen back on the Hollywood special effects he had lamented earlier in this film. If their theory is that life can exist inside the oceans of Europa I can do little more than shrug my shoulders and assume they know what they're talking about. Also, while I'm complaining, I don't understand why the movie couldn't have gone on longer. I understand it is something of a tradition now that IMAX movies run under an hour. I also know that it became that way because back in the day the IMAX machines could only sustain power for that long. But we all know that recently a flurry of feature films have ventured onto the IMAX format so that excuse no longer holds water. Despite it's short run time (and higher ticket price) I will still recommend this film because with the exception of "Ghosts of the Abyss" you have never seen anything like this before. ***1/2
Need to see it more than once - Rating: 5/5
to capture all of the things that you will see.
I sat down and before I knew it the movie was over. It was so captivating and well done that the time flew by.
The renditions of exploring the moons of Jupiter were the best I have seen, and if more work like this were to be released, NASA would have an easier time securing their funding.
Seeing the superheated vents so deep in the ocean and the life surrounding them was amazing. To see life that exists without photosynthesis makes me believe that being close to a star has less to do with life than we have been willing to admit.
Spectacular undersea footage - Rating: 5/5
Veteran film director Jim Cameron (Titanic, Terminator) turns his talents to filming the amazing ecosystem of the deep sea hydrothermal vents. The IMAX footage is unlike any glipse of this amazing universe ever seen! Cameron shares the spotlight with many up-and-coming scientists and explorers, which is great.
My only wish was that there were more details provided about the fantastic (real!) creatures in this film... it's a pure visual treat, and a fantastic glimpse at an amazing world, but perhaps a little shorter on substance that I would have wished. However, there's a companion book I just ordered that I think will help answer questions where this movie leaves off.
All in all, a MUST SEE, especially while it's still on the big IMAX screen!
