6.8 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Stealthy hunters. Fearless predators. Brilliant survivors. The oceans s greatest creatures have been shrouded by mystery and fear until now. You may have seen shark films, but you ve never seen one like this. The most ambitious shark film ever made is a stunning high-definition spectacle that captures astounding jaw-dropping footage. Witness Great Whites hunting for seals filmed from underwater, in the air and in slow motion. See hundreds of Blacktips work together to corral bait-balls of fish. Watch how the Wobbegong s lightning-fast reactions ambush its prey. Get a rare look at the mangrove nurseries of Lemon sharks. You ll also view a live shark birth and even a real land shark. Revolutionary technology is about to share the ultimate look at sharks. Sit back and relax...if you can.
Director: Steve GreenwoodDocumentary | 100% |
Nature | 73% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English SDH
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
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 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 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.
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.
2012
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IMAX
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2014
Kew 3D
2012
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The Original UK Series
2011
2008
IMAX 3D
2008
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BBC
2011
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