Susan Granger’s review of “Ocean Oasis” at the IMAX
The travelogue has been an IMAX staple since its inception. This time, “Ocean Oasis” explores the two worlds of the Baja Peninsula that juts down from the southern tip of California. It’s intriguing how this geographical area is so biologically and ecologically unique, forming a haven for many species and encouraging ecotourism. The Sea of Cortez, which is actually in Mexican territory, teems with nearly 900 species of life. Barnacle-encrusted humpback whales waft through the swells, blasting water from their blow holes. A pod of dolphins races through the water, clicking messages to one another. There are the huge, graceful manta rays, green moray eels, and voracious hammerhead and gray sharks. This lush underwater world is viewed not only from above but also through the eyes of Dr. Exequiel Ezcurra, an ecologist, and Iliana Ortega Bacmeister, a marine biologist and naturalist, who act as guides and narrators. In juxtaposition, there’s the adjacent arid desert of the Baja strip, where only cacti grow in the dry, desolate landscape, yet hummingbirds thrive and a kangaroo rat desperately attempts to escape from a ravenous rattlesnake. In the distance, there are snow-capped mountains. Closer by, one can find mangrove swamps and, within the canyons, an occasional palm oasis. The shore terrain is a nesting ground for millions of birds that migrate to feast from the bountiful sea during the winter, flying in from as far away as Canada and Chile. In a single day, these birds can consume six tons of fish without depleting the underwater population of this area. Of particular interest is a segment detailing how the tiny terns with their bright orange beaks, spiky black crowns and white bodies nest for protection inside a circle of seagulls. Then there are the lumbering male elephant seals with their proboscislike snouts. They can attain a length of 20 feet and emit fearsome roars as they engage in vicious territorial combat on the beaches of the Baja strip while the females flop around in silent submission. By the end of “Ocean Oasis,” however, the two environments – land and sea – are seen as intricately unified and connected in an awesome circle of life. The IMAX technology is at its best in the capable hands of filmmaker Soammes Summerhays, who captures the vividly colored marine life as it gracefully glides through the pristine waters. The cinematography is breathtaking, revealing a seemingly unending series of stunning images, most memorably the wwirling silvery-blue fish swimming in circles, silhouetted in the bright sunlight. On the other hand, after audience have been so enchanted with the anthropomorphism of Disney’s “Finding Nemo,” the lack of any semblance of storytelling makes the viewing a bit tedious. As a result, the presentation is choppy and uneven with no connective thread, and Alan Reeves’s bland New Age music can be soporific. So, on the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Ocean Oasis” is a visually elegant 5, illuminating the astonishing bio-diversity of the Gulf of California and making you want to pack your scuba gear and go.
