Stars: Andrew Ackerman, Pim Bongaerts, Neal Cantin
Storyline
Coral reefs around the world are vanishing at an unprecedented rate. A team of divers, photographers and scientists set out on a thrilling ocean adventure to discover why and to reveal the underwater mystery to the world.
Writers: Davis Coombe, Vickie Curtis, Andrew Ackerman, Pim Bongaerts, Neal Cantin, Andrew Ackerman, Pim Bongaerts, Neal Cantin, Phil Dustan, Mark Eakin, Ruth Gates, Manuel González-Rivero, Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, Joanie Kleypas, Justin Marshall, Trevor Mendelow, Rupert Ormond, James Porter, Morgan Pratchett, Zackery Rago, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Cast: Andrew Ackerman -
Himself
Pim Bongaerts -
Himself - Additional Featured Scientist
Neal Cantin -
Himself - Additional Featured Scientist
Phil Dustan -
Himself - Scientific Advisor
Mark Eakin -
Himself - Chief Scientific Advisor
Ruth Gates -
Herself - Scientific Advisor
Manuel González-Rivero -
Himself - Additional Featured Scientist
Ove Hoegh-Guldberg -
Himself - Chief Scientific Advisor
Joanie Kleypas -
Herself - Scientific Advisor
Justin Marshall -
Himself - Scientific Advisor
Trevor Mendelow -
Himself
Rupert Ormond -
Himself - Additional Featured Scientist
James Porter -
Himself - Scientific Advisor
Morgan Pratchett -
Himself - Additional Featured Scientist
Zackery Rago -
Himself
Whether you have spent vacation time snorkeling, watched the National
Geographic channel, or even paid a bit of attention during high school
science class, you likely have some level of understanding of what a
vital ecosystem coral reefs are to Ocean life. Director Jeff Orlowski
has a track record of important environmental documentaries with his
2012 Chasing Ice. Both of these movies have been well received at
Sundance and other film festivals, as well as by scientific experts.
Mr. Orlowski was contacted by underwater photographer Richard Vevers
once the Vevers team recognized the accelerated breakdown of corals as
the ocean water temperature rose slightly. The film takes us to such
places as The Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the Florida Keys,
American Somoa, Hawaii, Bermuda and the Bahamas. The obvious message is
that concern exists around the globe, not just in one particular
locale.
The film does an excellent job of defining and explaining the
importance of coral, and once Zach Rago is introduced, the energy and
passion jump significantly. A charming, self-described "coral nerd", he
is also an extremely knowledgeable and committed scientist dedicated to
saving this ecosystem that he worships, and he understands the
important role it plays to all life.
Little doubt exists that those involved fully believe carbon emissions
are to blame for the warming waters resulting in coral bleaching and
finally coral death. They also believe that by reducing said emissions,
there is still time to prevent the total global coral destruction
predicted for the next quarter century.
If the film has any misguided moments, it would be related to the
screen time spent on the challenges and frustrations associated with
underwater time-lapse photography, especially from a hardware
standpoint. As viewers, we are far more interested in the coral
endangerment and the photography shots that do exist … especially some
of the stunning before/after looks as coral reefs are quickly
destroyed.
A trip to the Coral Convention provides us a glimpse at how research
and information is shared by those who are working on this and other
environmental issues. With limited resources, it's crucial that access
to information is available to those who need it. Finally, the film
leaves us with a reminder that forests, reefs, and other ecosystems are
all vital to our lives; and while the current path is quite saddening,
there is optimism that we have time to stop the damage if we act now.
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