ANTARCTICA Review

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I might be a cinema lover but I must admit that I do at times struggle with documentaries. Don’t get me wrong there are some grat docos out there but I do find that I struggle when I have to watch a doco on a subject that I care zero about and the doco is educating me with any interesting facts on the topic.

It is for that reason that when I often get an invite to review a doco I turn up with a lot of trepidation for what I am about to watch. I have found out over the years though that the one distributor that can always excite me with a doco invite is IMAX. See IMAX docos are normally different to everything else – they capture interesting topics in a spectacular way and are bite-size in length meaning that rarely over-stay their welcome.

IMAX’s latest offering, Antarctica, is no different. The doco quickly draws you in with spectacular footage captured by director, Fredi Devas (Seven Worlds One Planet), and his cinematographer Rolf Steinmann (Wild Arabia). The fact that the crew here were working in some of the most inhospitable environments in the world is not evident throughout the film as they capture some truly amazing moments both above and below the ice.

Narrator Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness) points out a number of times that Antarctica is still today one of the most unexplored parts of our planet yet here the crew behind Antarctica capture some never before seen moments and deliver some truly amazing facts.

The great thing about this film is that it also doesn’t try to preach to its audience. Controversial topics such as climate change are looked at in the film but are viewed with science backing up what is being spoken about. The film shows what have been some of the things that have happened in Antarctica due to climate change but never speculates what caused it. Even better the film provides some answers to what we can do as humans to help our planet – including delivering some interesting facts about how whales could be one of the answers to help prevent climate change.

I found that with this documentary not only are you blown away by the visuals but you are also constantly learning something as the voice-over provides just the right amount of titbits of information when needed. As a nature lover what I learnt about seals, penguins and whales here is absolutely priceless. Be warned though if you are an animal lover this doco will make sure that you become totally invested in the lives of the creatures that you are watching on screen which then leads to suspense as Mother Nature throws some obstacles up against them.

It also becomes very clear while watching the film that the 3D only further enhances the viewing spectacle. When you add that to the amazing footage captured by Devas and Steinmann you soon feel like you are right there with them in Antarctica and that you can just reach out and touch whatever is in front of you at that time.

Antarctica is a truly stunning doco that needs to be seen on the big screen and in 3D to get the full experience. Like most docos I see at IMAX I simply can’t recommend this enough.

5/5 Stars