Aliens of the Deep is what a science documentary ought to be: visually awe inspiring with an amalgamation of real and rendered scenes and perhaps most importantly- narrated or explained by someone who knows what they are saying and not just reading their lines to cash in a cheque. James Cameron is the narrator, diver and director of this amazing documentary that juxtaposes a deep ocean dive with a space mission to one of the Galilean moons. The banter between the scientists aboard the Russian mission ship and Cameron's enthusiasm is a joy to watch.

James Cameron takes some astro-scientists to the deep ocean to examine life far from the sun. The idea is to help ponder how life at the bottom of the ocean might be like aliens in space-perhaps even on the moon Europa.I watched the extended version of this documentary on DVD and found it beautiful to look at but tedious to endure. The problem is that unlike Cameron's earlier IMAX film on the Titanic there doesn't appear to be enough material to double the length of the 48 minute IMAX release. Its a great deal of talking heads speaking (down) to the audience. I felt I was at a museum and was getting a gee whiz lecture by the staff who under estimated my ability to understand what they were saying. I doubt most six years old like being talked to the way this film talks to its audience. I lost my patience and began to scan through to the pretty pictures. To be certain the undersea vistas are spectacular and the animated bits of what aliens might look like is neat, but the narration that holds it all together is weak. I'm going to have to go back and try the short version of the film, perhaps it will play better (almost certainly it won't have the dead spots the longer version does.Worth a look for the visuals.

This was excellent. James Cameron all the way again. It's a shame that I never got to see it on IMAX. This film is important for the future project of the space program subject on NASA as well. James Cameron is one of the planet's most important creators and directors of all time without no doubt. The film was beautiful, excellent and great to follow. There is so little we know about ourselves and our planet. Only in 3.500 meter under the ocean it seems to another world has opened the door for us to discover the truth about humans and the start of everything. This 3D technology helps Cameron and his team to go forward and create an entire new world on film in the upcoming Avatar (2009) and Battle Angel after that.

James Cameron does a bang up job on the cool looking IMAX-3D adventure to the depths of the sea and beyond.The futuristic aspect and effects get to be a bit much, but otherwise it is enjoyable, educational, brief, and somewhat enlightening.Effects--> the computer rendered graphics of aliens was a bad way to end the film, but that is Cameron's own belief/touch. One cannot fault him for what he truly believes in and the effects aren't bad in a cheesy way, just a different way to end an educational film (not really a spoiler since aliens are on the poster and in the preview).Brief--> All IMAX (except for feature length Hollywood) are short, with the ending it probably was short enough, but could have been longer with more oceanographic footage (an interesting note is that DVDs of IMAX movies seem to have extended versions) Which begs the question of if they are going to charge $30 or so for the DVD and you get extended footage, why spend $8-15 to see a cool documentary like flick on the IMAX 70mm screen? For the most part IMAX is the only place for 3D and thus a reason to pop down the dough. Plus a lot of Zoos and other institutions of education which show films like this tend to have giveaways of the movies official posters and such, so supporting them and possibly winning merchandise is an additional incentive for the decent to very good experience.