Wonders of the Sea (2017)

I like me some nature documentaries. I grew up on everything the BBC could throw at me concerning animals, be they still alive or extinct, and I have always had a thing for the ocean and all its inhabitants. So when Jean-Michel Cousteau makes another, you know I have only one choice and that is to check it out.

Worthy of note is that Arnold Schwarzenegger produced this film and also narrates part of it. That might seem like a strange idea, to have the Terminator talk about sea creatures, but why not?

And yet, 'Wonders of the Sea' feels a little like a missed opportunity. Allow me to explain.

You see, there has always been sort of a trend in nature documentaries concerning the sea. There was the BBC, and there was the Cousteau-family. The latter pretty much synonymous with everything ocean-related and as a child theit adventures also mesmerized me. But as I grew older, I started to notice a trend. That being, that in documentaries made by the Cousteau's, it's usually them that are at the centre of it, not necessarily the creatures of the deep. That is something that actually bugs me with this one.

The images of animals are once again stunning, no question about that. But the narrative is all over the place and the voyage they undertake makes no real sense. There is no direction, just a couple of locations thoughout the world. This makes it all feel a little unhinged, which is a shame. Especially considering that the segment about coral reefs takes up most of the time, everything else feels a little tacked on.

But also, the voice-overs by the Cousteau's feel out of place, because they are talking about how they feel and truth be told: I don't care. I want to know about the creatures, not about what they might think. They also appear in frame a little too often, which gives you the impression this is more about them than about the ocean.

Oh, and the inclusion of Schwarzenegger? He occasionally says something, but it's more of a gimmicky way to attract attention than anything else. A shame really.

'Wonders of the Sea' offers some nice imagery, but that is about all. You will not learn a lot about animals, nor will you discover the current state of the oceans. If you want a more comprehensive and above all more focused view, check out both seasons of 'The Blue Planet'.