Under the Sea 3D (2009)

Critic Reviews

• Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

  The footage is spectacular, the colors electric, the life aquatic trippier than anything you'll see in even the most wildly imaginative animated fare.

• Adam Markovitz, Entertainment Weekly

  It's impossible not to be wowed by some of the images in Under the Sea 3D, 
the coolest of which are a nice 
reminder that, even in the age of CG wizardry, the best special effects still come straight from Mother Nature.

• Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor

  Under the Sea 3D is a beautiful reminder that movies can take us to places we've never been before. There are still worlds to conquer out there that don't require the gussying up of CGI effects to hold our attention.

• Christy Lemire, Associated Press

  Even about halfway in, even having settled into your seat with those plastic glasses nestled on your nose, you'll still find yourself dazzled again and again by the impossibly breathtaking beauty of the IMAX adventure Under the Sea 3D.

• Tom Long, Detroit News

  The plot may not be much -- amazing creatures live in the sea and if we keep polluting the world a bunch of them will die, so let's stop being such jerks -- but the visuals are absolutely fantastic.

• Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News

  If you're not taking the family on an exotic beach vacation anytime soon, consider this a reasonable alternative.

• Renee Schonfeld, Common Sense Media

  Stunning vision of the beautiful -- and fragile -- ocean.

• John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis

  ...an all-too-brief but fascinating look at some of our ocean's irreplaceable treasures. (Blu-ray Edition)

• Phil Hall, EDGE Boston

  This film is lovely to look at and would make an ideal vehicle for introducing kids to the world of oceanography and marine biology.

• John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis

  ...if you measure it in terms of the sheer beauty of its presentation, its value is probably incalculable.

• Amy Wheeler, FILMINK (Australia)

  While some of the content may go over younger viewers' heads, it introduces them to complex issues while entertaining them with footage of playful sea lions and slithering snakes that appear to swim right toward your face.

• Renie Scolaro Mora, PopMatters

  Under the Sea 3D offers a rare and gorgeous look at marine life from the heart of the Coral Triangle.

• Adam Keleman, Slant Magazine

  Strictly fodder for the preteen set, Under the Sea 3D, the latest IMAX deep-sea-dive exploration (brought to you by the fisheye's point of view), is expectedly rudimentary but a splendor to watch.

• Philip French, Observer [UK]

  People of any age will be fascinated by the Imax documentary Under the Sea, a riveting look at submarine life around the coast of Australia. I've never experienced such good use of 3D.

• Jeanne Kaplan, Kaplan vs. Kaplan

  At times, the writing becomes a bit like a sermon about the woes of the oceans, but, in all honesty, I think we can't hear it enough that our environments are changing ----- and not for the better.

• David Kaplan, Kaplan vs. Kaplan

  This incredibly ambitious undertaking could only be accomplished by people with a strong love of what they are doing, and patience to match.

• Avi Offer, NYC Movie Guru

  A delightful, breathtaking, lively and gently illuminating documentary that must be experienced on a giant IMAX screen.

• Jim Slotek, Jam! Movies

  Younger children will be engrossed. Older ones may get bored.

Read all 18 critic reviews