Adam Whitmore
Many movies and television series claim to push the boundaries. This one really does. As the material about the making of the series (at the end of each episode and online) shows, the four years it took to make included a record depth for a manned submersible dive in Antarctica, round the clock diving to make sure they did not miss a once-a-year event at a remote island, coping with huge sharks attacking the crew's submarine, deploying a range of novel filming technologies, and taking so much time under water that they were able to record behaviours never seen before. Around a thousand hours of shooting were needed for each hour of programme.
The results are genuinely sublime, with an astonishing range of natural wonders captured by photography that is surely peerless in its beauty, range and consistency. Skilful editing and commentary helps bring each of the subjects to life. Evocative music and sound effects may irritate some but for me, and I expect most others, these add to the impact. The conservation message is there in part in most episodes, emerging into its own in the final episode, but really the whole series is a uniquely powerful plea for the conservation of the oceans. Beyond that there is not much to say except "see it".
wdumke-603-976960
The cheesy fake soundtrack effects almost ruins this otherwise excellent documentary.If this show (minus soundtrack effects) was a tasteful Victorian dinning room with a single fresh flower on the table. The soundtrack effects are equal to a bunch of fake plastic flowers all over the place turning an otherwise tasteful Victorian dinning room into a very cheesy environment.A shame this show could have been a 10
TheLittleSongbird
David Attenborough, as has been said many times, is wholly deserving of being called a national treasure, although it is a term he happens to not like. He has done so many treasures and even his lesser output of a long and consistently impressive career is still good.Absolutely adore the first 'The Blue Planet', one of my favourites of his, so was psyched to hear that there was a second 'Blue Planet' series. Luckily, 'Blue Planet II' turned out to be every bit as amazing, easily a highlight of 2017 television (a strong contender for the best BBC produced one and the best nature documentary series) and one of not many 2017 dramas/series that had me looking forward to see the entire lot. This is saying a lot, seeing as apart from the odd gem 2017 has not seen me watching new television by habit, often find myself seeing re-runs or films.OK, so 'Blue Planet II' may not be as ground-breaking as 'The Blue Planet' and not everything is new here. This doesn't matter, because 'Blue Planet II' is just as beautiful to watch, non-stop transfixing, educational, inspirational and emotionally complex.Visually, 'Blue Planet II' was, as it was with 'The Blue Planet' and the best of Attenborough's work, a wonder. It has gorgeous scenery and rich colours, while the animals and marine life are captured in all their glory. Standing out even more is the photography, the underwater sequences are just as stunning as 'The Blue Planet' (unequalled when it comes to underwater sequences).While not with the involvement of George Fenton, the music here soars, rouses just as much and touches the soul just as much, definitely worthy of cinematic quality. It not only complements the visuals but enhances them to a greater level.Really can't fault the narrative aspects in 'Blue Planet II' either. There are things already known to me, still delivered with a lot of freshness, but there was a lot that was quite an education and after watching the full series it honestly felt like the series taught me a lot about the mysteries of the ocean and the marine life that inhabit it. One episode explores the consequences of environmental waste and, while it may seem out of place for some, it was very much relevant and important and well-handled.Attenborough's narration helps quite significantly too, he clearly knows his stuff and knows what to say and how to say it. He delivers it with his usual richness, soft-spoken enthusiasm and sincerity, never talking down to the viewer and keeping them riveted and wanting to know more.'Blue Planet II' has a lot of effective scenes. It's not easy picking a standout, because there is a lot of emotional complexity here. There are shockingly gut-wrenching moments, especially the whale carcass (a strong contender for the most shocking scene of 2017). There are emotional moments, such as the mother with the dead calf. There are tense moments like the octopus and the shark. There are awe-inspiring moments like with the dolphins. There are also moments of great surprise, like in the first episode where one expects a bird to fall prey to an underwater predator but instead something that one cannot believe was able to be filmed let alone found happens.Nothing episodic or repetitive here. Instead, it feels like its own individual story with real, complex emotions and conflicts. One roots for the animals, whether prey or predator. The behind the scenes footage "The Deep Blue" brings honesty and humanity, what the crew go through and how they work against sometimes volatile conditions makes the viewer feel admiration for them.In short, utterly amazing and calling 'Blue Planet II' a must watch does it no justice. 10/10 Bethany Cox
dtalbot-1
This is the BBC back to doing what it does best, world spanning documentary that takes years to film with little though on the commercial aspects (though I am sure this will make the BBC a fortune in years to come). Stunning filming with every episode seeming to make at least one genuine scientific discovery, spanning the world from pole to pole and across every ocean and most of the seas showing astonishing behaviour from familiar animals (I challenge every single one of the British MPs who recently voted to say animals have no sentience and can't feel emotion to watch the whale cradling her dead calf or the octopus outsmarting the shark) and stunning creatures stranger than any science fiction alien. Sit back, enjoy and learn!
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