Rating: 
Summary: Endangered coral reefs exposed for all to see
Review: I may be a bit biased- as I have dived all the reefs shown in this movie, and have enjoyed diving in Fiji with Rusi Vulakoro, focus of the film (and expect to dive with Rusi again November 2003). The footage is superb- showing Australia's enormous Great Barrier Reef, French Polynesia's Rangiroa Atoll (with a huge school of about 300 grey whalers / grey reef sharks) and lots of Fiji's world-class reefs- from its spectacular soft corals to the eutrophication of a once-vital reef just offshore to one of Fiji's islands. One even sees how the huge IMAX camera is maneuvered in "Rangi's" stiff currents, as well as in 107 meters / 350 feet of depth as cinematographer Howard Hall and scientist Richard Pyle discover fish completely new to science, using CIS Lunar Mark 4-P rebreathers. The sound track is excellent, the footage outstanding, and the explanation of why coral reefs are failing, while basic, is quite accurate: overfishing of reef inhabitants, silt from logging and development, and waters warmed by the global warming some still deny and the El Niño / Southern Oscillation phenomenon. Unfortunately gone missing in the simplification are fishing for aquarium specimens and food fish with cyanide, dynamite fishing, coral removal for various commercial schemes, and inflow of insecticides and fertilizers, as on barrier reefs off Australia and Central America. And some explanations and scenes are, shall we say, a little bit "embellished" up for effect... but in the end, this is an awesome movie. Divers will love it, those who do not dive will begin to get an idea of why we who do actually dive and travel to such wonderful places. Those concerned about reefs' well-being will be gratified there is some information how people can help conserve reefs, with some prominent mention being given to NGO Reef Check and its activities involving sport divers. If you enjoy underwater film, this is a "MUST SEE". A very good supporting book (Living Mirrors: A Coral Reef Adventure, by Jack Stephens, Umbrage Editions, ISBN 1-8844167-26-8) is available, and Coral Reef Adventure is also available- with difficulty at this time- in VHS and DVD editions.
Rating: 
Summary: Loses its Power and Beauty
Review: I saw this in the I-Max theater, and as you can imagine, it's quite stunning. With a perfectly clear screen, the coral reef is larger than life, yet seems so perfect-looking that it almost seems like life.
And as it must be, the DVD can't hold up to that. The transfer is superb, but much of the strength and majesty of the reef is diminished. It would make sense to say that the "save the reef" agenda is still present, which it is, but it also loses its strength. When you're in the I-Max theater, seeing the reef so vividly, you think "THIS beautiful thing is dying out?" On DVD, its power is reduced to that of a Discovery Channel special: not much. While the origins of reefs and why they're dying is fascinating, it no longer captures the viewer the way an I-Max theater can.
Unlike many theater-to-DVD transfers, this particular I-Max movie was designed for the I-Max theater, and takes much less presidence here on DVD. Unfortunately, there's no way to remedy this. We can't all have I-Max screens and projectors. I'd say rent this is you haven't seen it, but I doubt any rental stores would carry it, and it really isn't worth buying in this lessened version. If you've already seen it, then don't bother with the DVD. Remember as it was in the I-Max.
Rating:
Summary: The Best Coral Reef Movie Ever
Review: If you love the ocean, and everything in it, you will love this movie. It is awesome. I was totally stoked when I was watching it.
Rating:
Summary: The best HD content yet!
Review: If you own a high end HTPC (home theater personal computer), and a HD capable display, you owe it to yourself to buy this movie. Simply put, the Microsoft WMV transfer in high definition (both 720p and 1080p) is the best image I have ever seen on our home theater's very expensive projection system($30k JVC Lcos system). There are some downsides.... 1) Requires a very beefy computer. 3.0 Ghz is recommended by Microsoft, although some are getting away with lower powered machines by using the lower-quality 720p verion 2) Proprietary audio codec requires you to have the computer decode the audio, and send it to your amplifier via analog cables. There is no DTS or DD track on the HD version. 3) DRM - You have a choice of one video player, Windows Media 9. The movie has digial rights management on it, which can only be viewed by a Microsoft player. While this implementation is much better than the T2 high definition release (which required you to have an internet connection to get authorization), it's still a bit limiting. Despite the problems, This is right up there with the best film based HDTV content I have viewed from HDnet or HD HBO. BUY IT NOW!!!
Rating:
Summary: Can't wait for the DVD!!!
Review: In the tradition of The Living Sea, they've done it again. A great IMAX film that will make you think about the ocean and how to protect it...
Rating:
Summary: WMVHD
Review: The WMVHD is simply the best way to watch this movie.
720p is 1280*720 and 1080p is 1920*1080 on your computer.
It's a real pleasure for a diver like me to see so much details in a movie.
Rating: 
Summary: Not a very descriptive title
Review: They should have called this " Chicken-little's global warming and rainforest diatribe, with a little underwater photography" Twice the statement is made that ALL coral reefs will be dead within 30 years. No science is explained that would support that statement. Sorry, No Sale. If you are going to make hyperbolic statements like that in a film, you beter be willing to devote some time to explaining the facts behind the statement. In the end, I was very dissapointed. You expect dazzling visuals in an IMAX film. This was very lacking in visual content and very overboard in political content. Wish I would have rented it instead...
Rating:
Summary: Incredible DVD!
Review: This DVD has beautiful underwater scenes of coral reefs and sea life, and occasional flyovers of mountains and reefs look amazing. The music and narration are finely balanced. If you live outside the US or Canada like me, you can still play the WMVHD DVD! As long as you own a region free DVD-ROM drive in your computer, or own a copy of DVD Region Free, you can still play the high definition version on disc 2 in any country with no DRM license hassles. You got to have a powerful pc (especially the CPU) to play it though! You should also have a HDTV connected to your pc as well to make the most of the quality.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding!
Review: This was an outstanding movie. Beautifully filmed, it not only entertained, but also educated as well. My seven and eight year old loved it, too. Great music, great scenery, great movie!!
Rating:
Summary: A beautiful silent world!
Review: Unlike the last reviewer, I found the information presented in this IMAX powerful. What more proof does one need, that the oceans are DYING? It is also a feast for the eyes as well. The filming/ photography is magnificient. The ocean is the next wild frontier, and we need to learn more about it and appreciate it, before it is completely ruined. The film focused on a couple whose love of marine life takes them on a journey from Fiji to the Coral Reefs of Australia. It was informative, interesting, and overall a very beautiful. I would suggest seeing at the IMAX theatre, if possible.
Also, the soundtrack makes this film move right along with songs from Crosby, Stills, and Nash. The songs fit the footage perfectly ( which you may be surprised about !) Enjoy!
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