Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk (2008)

78% of critics liked it
(9 reviews)
62% of users liked it
(317 ratings)

On the heels of the announcement that mankind has entered what some scientists call a "100 year mega-drought," the producers of Everest and Mystery of the Nile invite viewers to explore the efficient ways in which Native Americans once used the Colorado River without sacrificing the scenic land that… More On the heels of the announcement that mankind has entered what some scientists call a "100 year mega-drought," the producers of Everest and Mystery of the Nile invite viewers to explore the efficient ways in which Native Americans once used the Colorado River without sacrificing the scenic land that surrounds it. Few would deny that fresh water is perhaps the world's most precious resource, yet the way things are headed we may lose that resource sooner than we think. Now, environmental activist Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Wade Davis attempt to raise awareness about global water issues by embarking on a breathtaking river-rafting adventure down the mighty Colorado River. The Colorado Delta has dried up, yet people in seven states and two countries use the water of the Colorado River for agricultural purposes every day; many never realizing precisely where their water is coming from. Is it possible to balance the needs to man with the needs of Mother Nature? And is it realistic to think that we can provide fresh drinking water to everyone on the planet? As the viewer follows these fearless adventurers down the Colorado River, we learn about not only the history of this particular watercourse, but also how mankind may best contend with dwindling water supplies should the ominous warnings issued by environmental scientists truly come to pass. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 43 min.
Directed By: Greg MacGillivray
Written By: Jack Stephens, Stephen Judson
Genres: Documentary

In Theaters: Mar 14, 2008 Wide
On DVD: Feb 24, 2009
Studio: MacGillivray Freeman Films

Critic Reviews

Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
A good IMAX film usually combines eye-popping visuals with a 'teachable moment', a little history, geology, biology or what not, tucked in between the pretty pictures. Grand Canyon Adventure more than fills that bill.
Ronnie Scheib, Variety
Paradoxically, the beauty and splendor of the Grand Canyon...almost belies this docu's dire ecological message
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul), St. Paul Pioneer Press
Ostensibly, Grand Canyon is about threats to the river that quenches the thirst of much of the West Coast, but the movie is all over the map.
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
Although muddled at times from its cross-purpose agendas of trumpeting conservation and establishing a story arc that never quite congeals, "Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk" is a lush look at a journey that few people will ever experience except vic
Jim Lane, Sacramento News & Review
The word 'adventure' is a bit of an overstatement...
Tom Keogh, Seattle Times
Grand Canyon is such fun to watch with its superb, 3D quality that it's impossible not to be more caught up, albeit temporarily, in the illusion of getting splashed than in the unsettling realities of the environmental crisis it describes.
Jim Carnes, Sacramento Bee
As entertainment, it can be heart-poundingly exciting. As education, it has some merit. But as a movie, Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk 3D is kind of a mess.
Daniel Eagan, Film Journal International
An outstanding example of what can be accomplished in large-format documentaries.
John P. McCarthy, Boxoffice Magazine
The scenery isn't mind-blowing or the filmmaking awesome, but there's a certain majesty in how the movie achieves its noble goal of raising awareness about the world water crisis.

Read all 9 critic reviews

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