Great White Shark: A Living Legend Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.0

Great White Shark: A Living Legend Blu-ray Movie Review

A living legend, a not-so-legendary Blu-ray release...

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown August 23, 2013

It's hard not to admire someone willing to face danger -- or even death -- in the name of science, regardless of whether that peril amounts to legitimate risk, popular myth or a blend of both. And that's exactly what famed free-diver and naturalist Mike Rutzen has spent his self-made career doing, slipping beneath the waves to swim with some of the ocean's most efficient predators. Rutzen isn't a scientist by trade, though. His is a purer form of science, driven by bravado, curiosity and little more. Once a fisherman, the Gansbaai, South Africa native spent years research the great white shark up close and personal, without a cage to separate him from his subjects. Great White Shark: A Living Legend puts Rutzen and the Great White in the spotlight, as the BBC Natural History Unit's do-or-die methodology unites with Rutzen's in the shark-infested waters off the coast of South Africa.

Cue John Williams...

Rutzen is crazy about great white sharks. He never saw 'Jaws,' so he doesn't share the terror that has made these sharks the world's most feared predator. For ten years, he has been swimming with great whites. He's spent so much time in their company that he's learned to read the sharks' body language and to anticipate their behavior. It is this knowledge that keeps him safe. Mike's quest to better understand the Great White takes him into the heart of a seal ambush site where he hopes to witness their hunting behavior from underwater.

Whether "A Living Legend" refers to the tragically misunderstood Great White or the incredibly fearless Mike Rutzen isn't entirely clear, and therein lies the documentary's only real problem. With just fifty minutes to spare, time is too equally divided between predator and would-be prey. The upside is that the BBC doc has a different flavor than most. The downside is that the BBC doc... has a different flavor than most. More Discovery Channel special than Natural History Unit classic, A Living Legend doesn't offer a whole lot in the way of exciting new information about great whites, and has more to do with Rutzen's unorthodox (yet undeniably effective) homegrown research methodology. His approach is sink-or-swim, although replace "sink" with something more dangerous. Yes, there's a certain thrill in watching a man swim alongside a beast that could have him for dinner twice over, but it's the same thrill that would come with watching a man toss a saddle on a cheetah and hop on. (Although I'm guessing, just guessing, that one wouldn't work out so well.)

And that's where the BBC Natural History Unit comes in. Latching onto the science of Rutzen's unique studies and downplaying anything that might strike a more X-treeeeme! tone, the documentary affords Rutzen enough legitimacy to earn a more studious audience. He tracks the sharks as they hunt and feed, discovers ways to communicate with the hunters directly through specially honed movements (all based on careful observation and experimentation), discusses their intelligence and behavior at length, and debunks numerous myths that haunt great whites. It's simultaneously interesting, informative and nail-biting, without drifting into hyper-produced waters. Natural history junkies won't learn too much that they didn't already know, but this is a solid, entry-level great white documentary.

Great White Shark: A Living Legend Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Though presented in 1080p via a technically sound AVC-encoded video presentation, Great White Shark: A Living Legend has the distinct look of a middle-of-the-road 1080i television release. And while that shouldn't give anyone reason to skip the documentary, it does lead to some pesky issues, among them underwater banding, macroblocking, ringing, noise and other problems, though most trace back to the source. Otherwise, there isn't anything here that's too unsightly or too unwatchable. Colors are competently saturated, black levels are decent (albeit muted), contrast is reasonably consistent, and detail is moderately good, given the inherent limitations of the original photography. All told, no one will confuse the Blu-ray for demo material, but it doesn't really disappoint all that much either, so long as you're armed with appropriate expectations.

Great White Shark: A Living Legend Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The same sentiment extends to BBC's DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 lossless track, which faithfully presents the documentary's two-channel mix; a mix that simply isn't all that remarkable. Narration is clean, clear and nicely prioritized above the fury or within the serenity of the deep, other voices aren't drowned out by accompanying sound effects, and A Living Legend's already restrained stereo experience doesn't falter or fail. A track backed by rear speaker activity and LFE oomph might have been more immersive and aggressive, but, as is, I don't have any serious complaints.

Great White Shark: A Living Legend Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The only special feature included with Great White Shark, is "Swimming with Roboshark (SD, 49 minutes), a more fascinating-than-it-sounds documentary special narrated by David Attenborough. Utilizing a six-foot, free-swimming animatronic shark equipped with a camera, the Roboshark team captures footage they couldn't get close enough to record otherwise. It isn't exactly gripping or scientifically airtight, I'll admit, but it's certainly interesting, with a few surprises no less.

Great White Shark: A Living Legend Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

As shark documentaries go, Great White Shark: A Living Legend doesn't dive very deep or explore many uncharted waters. That doesn't mean it doesn't have anything to offer, though. With a compelling host, an interesting angle, and enough raw science to counterbalance Rutzen's death-defying approach to studying sharks, it makes for an exciting -- albeit short and somewhat shallow -- journey into the world of great white sharks. BBC Home Entertainment's Blu-ray release is solid as well, with a decent AV presentation and a bonus shark special narrated by Sir David Attenborough. Not too shabby... so long as the price is right.