Journey Into Amazing Caves Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Journey Into Amazing Caves Blu-ray Movie Review

Worlds with no light, no air and no room for error...

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown September 1, 2010

Grand vistas, stunning photography, soaring music, breathtaking flyovers, solemn yet slightly awestruck narration courtesy of a Hollywood heavyweight, forty brisk minutes of smartly packaged documentary goodness... it must be an IMAX production. But while director Stephen Judson and writer Jack Stephens' Journey Into Amazing Caves has everything a good IMAX doc should, it still falls short of greatness. Don't get me wrong, Dr. Hazel Barton and Nancy Aulenbach do a fine job leading Judson's cameras into the guts of the Earth, Brad Ohlund's sweeping photography is nothing short of gorgeous, narrator Liam Neeson holds his own at the mic, and the subjects themselves -- the caves praised in the film's title -- are truly... well, amazing. Unfortunately, the end result is a haphazard mishmash of solid science and scattershot style; one that lacks an arresting narrative and a cohesive tone.

At the mountains of madness... or education, as it were.

It all begins well enough. Barton, a professor of microbiology, and Aulenbach, the team's technical specialist, repel down a craggly cliff face in the middle of the Rockies, brave the rough rapids of a raging river, and descend into an unexplored cave in Arizona. The information presented along the way is somewhat elementary -- a brief overview of the formation of stalactites and stalagmites, an explanation about the purity of underground water, and a quick lesson in the role ice and water played in the creation of caves millions of years ago -- but Journey Into Amazing Caves wears its all-ages badge proudly. Without warning, we're whisked thousands of miles away as Barton and Aulenbach follow French glaciologist Luc Moreau into a magnificent ice cave in Greenland. There, they collect samples of long-lost life from a frozen database that holds the secrets to Earth's history. Alas, an annoying trend soon emerges: playful interludes paired with songs from The Moody Blues. The first interlude, the aforementioned rapids ride in Arizona, was easy enough to ignore, but the second, a bit of clumsy ice-sliding, is at odds with the documentary's serious side. (Which returns seconds later, sobering Neeson narration and all.) It isn't just disjointed, it's distracting; so much so that it nearly spoils the already limited momentum Judson manages to build.

Beneath the surface, another caver, Janot Lamberton, hangs precariously above a seemingly bottomless chasm, suspended by a single lifeline. It's in these moments that Journey Into Amazing Caves is at its most powerful; when Neeson all but whispers his words and the relationship between Barton, her explorers and the Infinite pulses with wonder and intensity. But then, just when the danger Lamberton faces is perfectly palpable and utterly absorbing, a jazz flute, an electric guitar and a flurry of drums obliterates the tension. From there, the drums give way to a surge of elevator music as Barton bids farewell to Greenland, chats about bats for a moment, takes a field trip with a group of grade schoolers, and races off to Mexico, where the film's third string of amazing caves lies in wait. Again, the Moody Blues score borders on obnoxious and vaults from one... erm, mood to another. Moving below the waves, Barton and expert Jorge Gonzalez go cave-diving. Barton discusses the nature of underwater caves, the organisms that live in the murky depths, the protocol she and her team follow when exploring in such confined spaces, and the importance of using rope to exit a cave system. As she works her way across Mexico, collecting samples takes priority -- she is, after all, working to find cures to incurable diseases -- and her video diaries, a staple of the documentary, hone in on the drive behind her mission.

Not that Judson ever settles on a tone. Journey Into Amazing Caves fizzles before all is said and done, and the whole of the documentary is far less than the sum of its parts. The Moody Blues' score is as manic as they come, Neeson and Barton's individual narration threads don't mesh, Judson stumbles from Arizona to Greenland to Mexico, and the film's schizophrenic schtick wears thin. Had Judson given Neeson full charge of the narration, selected more fitting musicians and developed Stephens' narrative more carefully, Journey Into Amazing Caves might have offered a more engrossing journey. Ah well. Ohlund's photography is worth the price of admission, especially when the Blu-ray edition can be had for just over ten bucks.

Journey Into Amazing Caves Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Journey Into Amazing Caves is nine years old, but looks at least fifteen. Regardless, Image Entertainment's 1080p/VC-1 encoded presentation is a beaut, barring a few minor issues. The earthy hues of vast caverns, the shimmering walls of an ice cave, and the dark depths of an underground waterway are bold and vibrant. Primaries are vivid and robust, and black levels are satisfying on all but a handful of occasions. Skintones are natural and nicely saturated, and contrast is strong (albeit a tad inconsistent, no thanks to the harsh conditions the filmmakers are forced to contend with). Detail is quite remarkable as well. The cracks and crooks of enormous rock formations are generally crisp and clean, the texture of the rough-hewn tunnels and crevices are well-resolved, and delineation is impressive, particularly for an IMAX feature. A few soft shots slip into the mix and grain and noise spike at inopportune times, but considering the nature of the documentary and the cameras employed, it's too be expected. Likewise, some faint artifacting and banding also creeps into the transfer, but I didn't encounter any distractions (at least none that gave me serious pause). All in all, the presentation is able-bodied and proficient, and easily justifies the cost of the disc.

Journey Into Amazing Caves Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

As is the case with most every documentary of its ilk, narration renders Journey Into Amazing Caves a front-heavy affair. But when presented with a relatively involving DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track like this one, it hardly matters. Liam Neeson's assuasive voice is commanding and clear, the on-location cavers and geologists can be easily understood (in all but the worst topside weather), and sound effects are smartly distributed across the soundfield. While the whole of the mix isn't immersive per se, it uses the rear speakers to subtle effect, enhancing the already convincing acoustics even farther. But it's The Moody Blues' songs and performances, both instrumental and otherwise, that cash the most memorable sonic paychecks. Neeson's narration may subdue the soundscape, but the Blues' music rips it back open, drawing listeners into the mix as their disarming guitars and at-ease vocals work their magic. The style itself may not be for everyone, but the timbre of the various performances isn't open to much debate. Journey Into Amazing Caves doesn't break any lossless ground, it simply delivers its wares as richly as it possibly can.

Journey Into Amazing Caves Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Blu-ray edition of Journey Into Amazing Caves boasts an unexpectedly satisfying supplemental package (at least for a 40-minute IMAX release). An extensive behind-the-scenes documentary (SD, 41 minutes) introduces the filmmakers, delves into Caves' hazardous production and, oddly enough, proves to be far more interesting than the film itself; an interactive quiz assembles some trivial trivia; a secondary featurette, "The History of MacGillivray Freeman Films" (HD, 8 minutes), touches on the company's origins and success stories; and a text-based Greg MacGillivray bio and a generous collection of trailers (HD, 21 minutes) are included for good measure.

Journey Into Amazing Caves Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

While Journey Into Amazing Caves lacks gravitas and momentum -- and ultimately suffers from multiple personality disorder -- it's nevertheless a decent IMAX feature. Image Entertainment's Blu-ray release is even better, offering documentary fans a fit and faithful video transfer, a commendable DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, and a surprising supplemental package that includes a 41-minute trek behind-the-scenes that, in many ways, is better than the film itself. At the very least, Journey Into Amazing Caves is worth renting.