Rating summary
| Movie |  | 4.0 |
| Video |  | 3.5 |
| Audio | | 3.5 |
| Extras |  | 2.5 |
| Overall | | 3.5 |
Shark Blu-ray Movie Review
We're gonna need a bigger boat...
Reviewed by Kenneth Brown June 13, 2015
The great white may headline Shark, but it's the dozens of lesser known sister species that make the BBC's first full-length documentary about the ocean's greatest predators so fascinating and memorable. The intimidating, nightmarish ragged tooth shark. The frilled shark, striking from the shadows with vicious jaws. The pack-hunting blacktip shark, patiently encircling schools of fish with hundreds of her fellow hunters, cutting off all roots of escape. The glow-in-the-dark swell shark, that could fit in the palm of your hand. The thresher shark and its whip-like tail, ideal for stunning prey. The tasseled wobbegong, an expert in coral reef camouflage that lies motionless, blurring the line between waiting and hunting. The epaulette shark, pushing itself out of the water and venturing onto land. Sharks found beneath the arctic ice, navigating jungle rivers, and surviving at depths once unexplored. Sharks with names familiar and unfamiliar; scalloped hammerhead, mako, nurse, tiger, sand, basking, whale, whitetip, goblin, manta ray, and countless others, each one wildly, wonderfully and fearfully different from the last. There are more than 510 species of shark, many whose genetic lineage traces back 400 million years. And while no documentary series could ever adequately cover them all, Shark provides an excellent start.
But it's not all introductions. Shark blends education and entertainment carefully and concisely, offering a host of shark facts (biological, anatomical, behavioral, social et al), debunking myths and misconceptions, breaking down key species and the characteristics that set each one apart, and elaborating on the unique, often crucial roles sharks fill in startlingly different environments. There's more than one way to survive, the series suggests, and more than one way to emerge as the fittest. If I have any complaint it's that there isn't more. I could have easily watched three, six, even ten more episodes. There's no end to the species worth studying or the many, many details worth learning. If nothing else, Shark makes one thing clear: the shark kingdom is nearly inexhaustible.
The documentary examines the enormous diversity of sharks around the world and highlights some of the incredible behaviors that have allowed them to survive for millions of years. Showcasing more than 30 species with footage from a worldwide cross-section of varied habitats -- including mangrove swamps, shipwrecks, coral reefs, under the polar ice, and on land -- the show offers new insights, new breakthroughs in technology, and a new generation of cameramen with pioneering approaches to underwater filming. "Sharks have always appeared in other shows but they've never had their own program dedicated to them," says producer Steve Greenwood. "It is time we saw them as the fascinating and mysterious creatures they are rather than these simplistic under sea monsters. We are on a mission to show the people of Britain that the shark should be loved not feared. They don't target humans and in the rare cases they do they would only attack you by accident."
Shark Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality
The deeper Shark dives, the darker and murkier the oceans get. Noise spikes, macroblocking appears, banding increases, and aliasing and pixilation find their way into the image. It all traces back to the cameras used to film in such extreme conditions, though, meaning the majority of issues that hinder the series' AVC-encoded video presentation are easy to overlook. Colors are natural and precisely saturated, contrast and black levels are satisfying, and detail, while inconsistent, is decidedly decent on the whole. Mild to moderate banding proves to be the biggest distraction, invading the waters throughout the documentary. Fortunately, it's hardly a deal-breaker. Those familiar with previous BBC natural history documentary presentations won't be surprised by the quality here, pleasantly or otherwise.
Shark Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality
Shark features a commendable DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mix that does a fine job with the two-channel soundscape its been handed. Narration is clear, perfectly intelligible and neatly prioritized, underwater sound effects are fairly convincing without overwhelming other elements, and music, despite registering as overly flat, falls in line with everything else. There aren't any significant issues to report. Would a full six-channel surround track with LFE support proven more effective? Most likely. But those drawn into the series' study of sharks won't begrudge the more underwhelming sonic stretches.
Shark Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras
- Beneath the Surface (HD, 61 minutes): Two bonus documentary specials are included, starting with "Beneath the Surface," which delves into the science of sharks. It also focuses on the men and women diving beneath the waves, who are getting closer to sharks than ever before and making new discoveries every year that change our understanding of the ocean's deadliest predators.
- Beyond the Bite (HD, 52 minutes): This second bonus documentary turns its attention to the making of the series, following the Shark crew to hostile environments as they attempt to film in extreme conditions and against all odds.
- Shark Diaries (HD, 22 minutes): Two behind-the-scenes "Shark Diaries" featurettes take a look at the challenges and frustrations faced by the producers and underwater cameramen. (Note: the featurettes are not available from the "Special Features" menu but are attached to the episodes themselves.)
Shark Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation
Another captivating documentary series under the BBC Earth banner, another solid Blu-ray release from BBC Home Entertainment. The AV presentation isn't exactly remarkable but it gets the job done, while two bonus documentaries bring the disc's episode count to four. Natural history junkies will want to add Shark to their cart or wish list.
