This week Shout! Factory releases two more IMAX/Giant Screen nature films on 4K Ultra HD/3D Blu-ray combo pack. Wonders of the Arctic, narrated by actor Victor Garber, takes viewers on a journey to Nunavut, Canada to explore what happens during the Arctic ice season. Eighteen years ago researcher/scientist Shari Gearheard moved here to study and measure the impact of climate change on the Arctic—both on the animals that live there as well as on the ice itself. She now works with native Illcook Angutikjuak—the last of his generation of Inuits with the ability to read the ice to predict the weather—setting up weather stations to measure ice thickness. When Illcook was a child, the ice season would run through July, but now the ice starts breaking in June.
The cameras head under the ice to get a look at the beautiful plants and animals that call this area home, including narwhals, ice whales and beluga. As the ice season comes to an end, hundreds of thousands of thick-billed murres migrate to the arctic looking for food in the form of cod under the breaking ice. The decline of the ice season poses dangers for the humans who live in the area as the polar bears’ seal-hunting season is also being cut short.
The film also follows marine biologist Bernard LeBlanc as he measures the bowhead whale population and tracks migration patterns; it takes a look at the inner workings of an Arctic nickel mine and the massive ice-breaking ship, the M.V. Arctic, that is used to deliver the ore to Quebec; and follows bear patroller Bob as he keep his town of Churchill, Manitoba safe from wandering polar bears for Halloween trick-or-treating.
I really appreciate how Shout! Factory has continued to combine the 3D Blu-ray & 4K UHD releases of these IMAX/Giant Screen releases into single combo packs so that the consumer only needs to purchase one release to experience both the 3D and 4K versions of these films, each of which has its own merits. The 3D Blu-ray disc allows for 2D playback, and the 4K UHD disc allows for playback either with or without HDR, giving viewers four different viewing options! In addition, this release includes a Digital HD copy of the film.
The 3D version: The 3D is primarily used to add depth to the picture, particularly in the underwater sequences. There is a particularly fun scene when Shari Gearheard is riding her dog sled and the viewer gets a nice first person/driver view that looks great in 3D. There are also some near pop-out moments in the scenes with the weather station equipment as the spinners and posts almost come out of the screen. However, I found the 3D to be a bit disorienting during the scenes where Bernard LeBlanc and his crew are trying to shoot arrows into whales to gather blubber samples for tracking—perhaps it was the faster motion or quick cuts. But overall, I thought the 3D was utilized quite well to enhance the overall viewing experience.
The 4K version: There are so many phenomenal, breathtaking shots in this film—from beautiful underwater footage, to the majestic mountains and fjords, and the close-ups of the underwater creatures and animals. I thought the 3D picture looked great, but the 4K version provides even richer and more vibrant colors and adds in even more detail—you can see the sparkly texture of the surface of the ice, bubbles on the underwater surface of the ice, the sparkly details on the walls of the nickel mine, the floating debris underwater looks more defined, and the beautiful cloud and fog covered mountain shots look even more detailed and amazing.
Both versions of the film contain the same fantastic Dolby Atmos soundtrack. The narration is pretty much isolated to the center channel, while the rest of the channels are utilized to surround the viewer in sound, and rumble the room with bass. The animals come to life as birds flap overhead and across the room. The rocking soundtrack & score sound excellent throughout—I especially enjoyed The Jerry Cans’ “Suqutaunngilaq” that plays over the main menu as well as while Shari Gearheard speeds her dog sled across the ice.
As for bonus material, both discs contain the same minimal features—a two minute ad for shipping company FEDNAV, plus trailers for other Giant Screen films. The discs come packed in a standard 2-disc UHD keepcase with a cardboard slipcover, and there is an insert with instructions on how to redeem a Digital HD copy of the film.
What’s Included:
Film: (41:40)
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4K Ultra HD:
- 2160p / Widescreen 1.78:1
- HDR and SDR
- Audio: English Dolby Atmos, French DTS-HD MA 5.1
- 1080p / Widescreen 1.78:1
- 3D and 2D
- Audio: English Dolby Atmos, French Dolby Digital 5.1
- Subtitles: English Closed Caption
- Digital HD Copy of the film.
At the time of this review, the redemption site was not yet active, but if this is like other Shout! releases, the site will provide downloadable SD (~750MB) and HD (~4GB) files.
Blu-ray:
Digital HD (Redemption Deadline 9/13/2017):
Extras:
- FEDNAV Corporate Video (2:27)
Promotional ad/video for FEDNAV international cargo shipping services. - Trailers (8:51)
A collection of trailers for other IMAX films. Play All (in an endless loop) or select from “The Last Reef” (1:35), “Wonders of the Arctic” (1:41), “Rocky Mountain Express” (1:26), “Journey To Space” (1:06), “Humpback Whales” (1:53) and “Flight of the Butterflies” (1:10). These are offered in HD on Blu-ray and in 4K on the 4K UHD disc.
Final Thoughts:
Wonders of the Arctic is an interesting and informative look at the beauty and wildlife of the Arctic, and the possibly-devastating effect that climate change has had on the area. The film’s technical presentation is excellent—there are some very visually-stunning moments, and fun use of 3D. The 4K version adds even greater detail to the already-phenomenal picture quality of the 3D version. One disappointment is the lack of bonus material, however, a Digital HD copy of the film has been included. I really appreciate Shout! Factory’s continued efforts to release these consumer-friendly combo packs that combine the 3D and 4K versions into a single release. This film is worth checking out if you are looking for some 4K reference material or an interesting documentary.
