It’s hard to get too riled up about a film that has good intentions, but a film can’t be forgiven for half-assing it either. Released on Earth Day, “Oceans” is the latest from the Disneynature division that ties in stunning nature photography with a feel good message about taking care of Mother Nature. Unlike “Earth” released last year, which was cobbled together from bits of the award winning BBC series “Planet Earth,” “Oceans” is a wholly original work.
Directed by Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud (“Microcosmos,” “Winged Migration”) “Oceans” isn’t so much a movie as an 86 minute string of lovely images, narrated by the soothing voice of Pierce Brosnan. We’re not sure how seven writers got credited on this, but there really isn’t much “movie” here to review. Moving from the shore, to the deepest, darkest corners of the sea, “Oceans” goes everywhere you expect which makes the exceptions all the more apparent. The most glaring example is the film’s shoehorning in of penguins and polar bears into the film. While one could argue they are ocean creatures, its a little odd when a no-brainer animal like dolphins are nowhere to be found. One suspects that the cute factor played a role, and certainly “Oceans” doesn’t shortchange the viewer on lots of “awwww” moments, particularly with some extended sea lion sequences. That being said, the filmmakers bravely don’t shy away from some of the more gruesome realities of mother nature and there are a good handful of scenes of some very cute animals getting killed. So parents of sensitive children, you might want to stay away (at our screening we definitely heard at least one kid worriedly say “….are they dead?”). But ultimately, the film is kind of forgettable and you’re probably better off staying at home and giving that “Planet Earth” DVD set you got for Christmas another spin.
Between the images of majestic oceans and their bottomless fascinating depths, “Oceans” does remind us that humans are polluting waters at an enormous rate and global warming is endangering much of sea life. Thus, with this message of conservation and concern, it was a little jarring to leave the theater to be greeted by representatives of Burt’s Bees who were handing out free, cross-promoted tubes of chapstick. Emblazoned on each package was a message saying that a portion of each sale would “go toward savings our oceans.” But what happens if they’re being out for free? And how much does a portion of a chapstick sale actually amount to? That moment was perhaps the most illuminating of all, and served as a reminder that while corporations might dress up their logos in all the right environmental language, at the end of the day the “green” they care about most is the kind they can put in the bank. [C]
