Amazon Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

Amazon Blu-ray Movie Review

Heavy-handed as portions of its narrative may be, Merrill's doc is nevertheless a dazzling one...

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown August 29, 2010

The Amazon is a diverse and sprawling region. Home to Earth's largest river, tropical rainforest and drainage basin, its waters support a third of all known biological species and a variety of fascinating cultures, many of which remain isolated from the modern world. It's also one of the most scarcely populated places on the planet, making its true riches -- biological wonders that could hold the cure to countless diseases, and native tribes that have retreated deep into the jungles to live in hiding -- an irresistible lure to scientists like ethnobiologist Mark Plotkin and a noble cause for social activists like Sydney Possuelo. In director Kieth Merrill's Academy Award-nominated documentary short, Amazon, Plotkin and Possuelo are thrust into the spotlight; one in search of medicine that could potentially heal the ails of a sick and dying world, the other determined to bring peace to a distrusting populous. Sadly, both men are in a race against time as slow but steady deforestation, extinction, climate change, deep-seated cultural divides and other dangers threaten the very heart of the region.

Beauty, stretching out as far as the eye can see...

Narrated with grandmotherly grace and gravitas by actress Linda Hunt (The Year of Living Dangerously, The Practice, The Incredibles and, more recently, NCIS: Los Angeles), Merrill's Amazon navigates tight and winding waters. In just forty short minutes, the film delves into the startling diversity of the region, the relationship between its wildlife and ecosystems, the challenges that face its unique cultures, and the fact that the vast majority of its grounds and canopies remain unexplored... not to mention its seemingly disparate geography, its climate, the separation and subsequent isolation of its tribal communities, its greatest threats and much, much more. No small feat for an IMAX flick, much less a documentary of its small stature. Neither rushed nor simplistic, Amazon bounds from one topic to the next with such poise and confidence that it's more akin to a feature-length documentary than an all-too-brief trek into the jungle. Merrill doesn't linger on any one subject for very long, but instead weaves an unexpectedly mesmerizing narrative that captures the essence of the Amazon without turning every point-of-interest into an academic conquest.

The journey begins in the Andes near the ruins of Machu Pichu, the Lost City of the Incas. After being introduced to the descendants of the ancient Incas -- the traveling medicine men of the Callawaya tribe -- Merrill and his cameras follow one of their shamans, Julio Mamani, as he sets out to acquire plants he believes "will increase our power to cure illness and prolong life." Gathering water from the melting glaciers at the source rivers of the Amazon, Mamani braves the rapids of the ensuing waters, hitches a ride on a train and bears witness to the majesty of the land, from its snowy peaks to its vast rainforest. Enter Plotkin, an American author and conservationalist on a similar mission. Plotkin believes many of the Basin's most invaluable species are on the verge of extinction, meaning their life-giving secrets could be lost forever. As he pushes deep into the jungles, we're introduced to the true natives of the Amazon: jaguars, pirana, tapir, macaw, pipa toads, electric eels, pink dolphins, crocodiles, monkeys and more. Again, little time is devoted to each animal (most earn little more than a mention from Hunt), but Merrill focuses on their place in the region rather than their individual attributes and contributions to the ecosystem. Soon thereafter, Possuelo arrives and sets his sights on the Northern Highlands where reclusive tribes are said to live in secret. With the help of the local Zoë Indians, Possuelo hopes to spare the highlanders' pain and suffering, and help them to cope with their place in the region.

Amazon does falter on occasion, but only because Merrill is hellbent on staging supposedly poignant encounters between the various players on his board. Mamani has a tense run-in with a Yagua Indian warrior. Plotkin gives a tip-of-his-hat to Mamani in an herbal marketplace. These fabricated moments stress the interconnectivity of the region's inhabitants and visitors, but amount to little more than heavy-handed distractions. Thankfully, between Mike Hoover's striking photography, Merrill's otherwise absorbing narrative, Hunt's narration, and the overall impact of the documentary, it hardly matters. IMAX films don't usually translate well to home viewing (at least in my humble opinion), but this one does just that. It doesn't dig into the Amazon the way a full-fledged television documentary series might. It doesn't dwell on any particular aspect of the river, its wildlife, cultures, challenges, rainforests or mountains. It doesn't even come bundled with a message or sermon like most documentaries of its ilk (the term "global warming" hadn't entered the environmental lexicon yet). But it does paint a marvelous portrait of the Amazon; one worthy of your investment.

Amazon Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Kieth Merrill's Amazon takes a visually stunning trek down the world's largest river courtesy of Mike Hoover's gorgeous photography, and Image Entertainment's 1080p/VC-1 transfer follows closely behind. Yes, the film shows its age at times -- print blemishes, slight telecine wobble, and grain field inconsistencies are present -- and yes, not every shot is as crisp and clean as the next, but the whole of the presentation is polished and proficient. The South American jungles, villages and mountains boast lovely green canopies, bursts of flame and tribal primaries, and pleasing black levels. Faces and fleshtones are warm and lifelike throughout, and every last detail has been preserved. Clarity wavers a bit, particularly when it comes to fine textures and nighttime sequences, but rarely falters. Fine textures take a hit when lighting isn't optimal, but I doubt documentary regulars will expect anything more. Significant artifacting, banding, crush, ringing, aliasing and smearing are nowhere to be found, and only a few, brief digital anomalies tarnish the proceedings. Perfect? Not quite. Impressive? Indeed.

Amazon Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The quality of Image Entertainment's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track isn't as immediately apparent as its video transfer, but it didn't leave me with any major complaints. Hunt, Plotkin, Mamani and Possuelo's narration sounds every bit as precise and clean as it would if they were in the room. On-site voices are intelligible as well (even though they're subject to the Amazon's wind, weather and waters), and ambience, at least when Hunt isn't speaking, is lively and enveloping. Moreover, LFE output is restrained but effective, rear speaker activity is nuanced and convincing, and the chorus of the rainforest is pitch-perfect when given run of the mix. Prioritization is also spot on, allowing Merrill's documentary to simultaneously weave Hunt's narration, Mark Plotkin's adventure and the siren song of the region into an engaging experience. I, for one, was thoroughly pleased with the results.

Amazon Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Blu-ray edition of Amazon includes a handful of special features, albeit none that amount to anything of substance. An interactive quiz challenges viewers' knowledge of the region and its people, "The History of MacGillivray Freeman Films" (HD, 8 minutes) provides a short overview of the production company's origin and canon, and a lengthy selection of trailers (HD, 21 minutes) rounds out the package.

Amazon Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Keith Merrill's Academy Award-nominated documentary short is stunning, and one of the better IMAX feature's I've reviewed. An extra hour would have elevated the film even higher, but its limited runtime shouldn't raise any red flags. Better still, Image Entertainment's Blu-ray release is worthy of equal attention. Its supplemental package leaves a lot to be desired, but its striking video transfer and solid DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track make the choice between a purchase and a rental that much easier.