Life on the Reef Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		3.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

Life on the Reef Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 24, 2015

Located off the coast of Australia, The Great Barrier Reef has been referred to as one of the natural wonders of the world, with its enormous size and fragility home to an array of creatures that help support a colossal tourism industry. The Reef is also a place to study man’s impact on the Earth, with teams of scientists and nature workers laboring to discover inhabitants great and small, with hopes to understand migration and mating patterns. “Life on the Reef” is a three-part series that showcases daily activity around the Reef, and how such a place of beauty has changed over the years.

“Life on the Reef” is varied, following professionals into the wild as they study birds, whales, and sharks, also showing concern with coral growth, which is being threatened by a host of toxins and invaders, including the crown-of-thorns starfish. The real heart of the series belongs to the plight of the sea turtle, who receive the largest amount of screen time as they struggle to lay eggs in changing sands, while predators pick off the young before they have a chance to reach oceanic freedom. The program does a fine job juggling subjects, providing a wide range of creatures to study, but it finds real purpose with the turtles, showcasing their unique journey around the Reef.

Life on the Reef Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The MPEG-2 encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation is at its worst with delineation, finding locations with limited lighting and descents into the abysses of the Great Barrier Reef showing solidification, losing screen information. When fully illuminated, often by blasting sunlight, HD-shot sharpness allows detail to emerge, capturing weathered human faces and sea life minutiae, giving close-up cinematography adequate texture. Colors are strong, with gorgeous blues for oceanic activity, while the creatures of the deep also display a wide range of vivid hues. Banding is present throughout the viewing experience.

Life on the Reef Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 LPCM track captures the spirit of the series with energy, leading with narration that sounds deep and purposeful, carrying the listening experience with heaviness and authority. Scoring is simple but effective, with serene passages for more sensitive sequences balanced with Michael Bay-esque surges in intensity when naturalistic chaos erupts. Atmospherics are adequate, offering a background of outdoor activity and underwater exploration.

Life on the Reef Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There's no supplementary material on this disc.

Life on the Reef Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

As an educational offering, "Life on the Reef" supplies a rich sense of history and activity, isolating working parts of the ecosystem and how protective services have managed to help preserve dying species. And, as with all nature documentaries, extensive time with mating habits and pollution concerns are eye-opening. However, the series isn't driven by lectures, frequently taking time to float around the region, absorbing the wonders of the deep and the drive of life.