Imax’s ‘Under the Sea 3D’ highlights ocean’s wonders, dangers of climate change

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

“Under the Sea 3D” — Imax’s latest 3-D film coming out Feb. 13 — whisks you away to a world where the water snakes seem to slither from the screen onto your lap, and the snout of a great white looms so menacingly it makes young moviegoers cower behind their 3-D glasses.

Directed by Howard Hall and narrated by Jim Carrey, the documentary unveils breathtaking underwater views that bring you face-to-face with the mating tango of the flamboyant cuttlefish and the elegant camouflage of the leafy sea dragon, whose leaf-like fins could easily be mistaken for seaweed. ‘Under the Sea’ was shot entirely with Imax 3-D cameras in the waters off of Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Australia. For 40 minutes, you’d swear you were snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, drifting past forests of vibrant coral and swimming with sea turtles chomping on jellyfish.

But the visually stunning film is also the Cliffs Notes version of how global climate change is affecting our oceans. Images of disappearing coral reefs — partly due to global warming — give viewers a stark reminder of why it’s important to protect our oceans and all that thrives in them. More than a quarter of the ocean’s marine life relies on coral reefs for its habitat.

“Audiences will not be cold and wet, but what they’ll see when they look through those goggles is exactly what we saw through the dive mask,” said director Hall, who specializes in marine wildlife films. “The most important thing I believe people will get from seeing this film, aside from being entertained, is that they will emerge with a sense that these places and animals are valuable and worth protecting. They’re part of our legacy.”

‘Under the Sea 3D’ will show at Southern California Imax locations in Burbank, Cathedral City and Los Angeles.

— Catherine Ho