This week Shout! Factory release two more IMAX/Giant Screen nature films on 4K Ultra HD/3D Blu-ray combo pack. The Last Reef: Cities Beneath the Sea, narrated by Jamie Lee, takes viewers underwater for an immersive look at coral reefs and how these living cities beneath the sea share a lot of similarities with our own man-made bustling metropolises. It’s not just that the physical structure of the reef is similar to big city sky scrapers, but also that both the reef and the city serve as a social hub for its residents. The reef becomes a central place for food, filtered water, and even grooming. The documentary juxtaposes the barbershops in a city with how the reef can serve as cleaning stations for fish—manta rays arrive at the reef looking for fish to nibble away parasites or dead skin. And this is just one of the many symbiotic relationships that exists between pairs of underwater creatures, and these partnerships aid in the survival of both parties involved.

The film opens with news footage from the nuclear testing at Bikini Atoll, and takes a look at how the coral reef has proved its resiliency nearly five decades later. There are stunning shots of the coral and the wildlife that call this living city beneath the ocean home—turtles, dolphins, sea slugs, mollusks, flat worms and many varieties of fish including clown fish, crocodile fish and scorpion fish.

In the Palau Archipelago, the filmmakers swim with jellyfish that have no stingers due to the fact that they’ve been cut off from predators and never needed this survival mechanism as part of their evolution. They also explore lagoons and underwater forests called mangroves where junior lemon sharks hone their survival skills before heading out in the larger ocean.

The documentary takes a look at the dangers of pollution, and how the increased CO² levels causes acidity in the ocean that affects the reefs, and the efforts being made to help the reefs before it’s too late.

In addition to the rich underwater shots, the filmmakers also make use of time-lapse photography to show the bustle of the city, or to show the growth of the coral. They also utilize macro photography cameras to give an incredibly-detailed look at some of the tiny creatures that reside in the ocean.

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, but there are quite a few scenes with some mild pop-out effects where the fish appear to come off the screen slightly. And in another sequence, while showing coral-covered ships and statues, there is more pronounced pop-out effect as the camera pans over a turret on one of the underwater structures.

The 4K version: There are so many phenomenal, breathtaking underwater shots in both versions of this film. 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 increased, finer details in the surface texture of the coral and the sea creatures, and the floating debris underwater is more well-defined.

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. In the opening sequence, news reports fill the room from all directions, and this leads into a beautiful, booming rendition of “La Mer”. Throughout the film there is an amazing score that ranges from ethereal to action-packed and exciting with a rumbling bass. And the world of the sea comes to life as the sound of flowing water surrounds the viewer.

As for bonus material, both discs contain the same features—a six-part, 18-minute behind-the-scenes featurette, a 2-minute photo gallery, and trailers for other IMAX/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: (39:54)

4K Ultra HD:
• 2160p / Widescreen 1.78:1
• HDR and SDR
• Audio: English Dolby Atmos, French DTS-HD MA 5.1, Spanish DTS-HD MA 5.1

Blu-ray:

• 1080p / Widescreen 1.78:1
• 3D and 2D
• Audio: English Dolby Atmos, French Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1
• Subtitles: English Closed Caption

Digital HD (Redemption Deadline 9/13/2017):

• 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.

Extras:

• Behind-The-Scenes Videos (17:51)
  Six-part featurette featuring interviews with the filmmakers. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, clips from the film, and interviews with directors/producers Steve McNichols and Luke Cresswell, and director of photography/producer D.J. Roller. Play All or select from:
  • Ocean Acidification (2:44)
    Discussion of the various things threatening the livelihood and future of coral reefs.
  • Filming in Bimini (1:56)
    Filming the dolphins, mangroves and sharks in Bimini.
  • Editing and Scoring (2:52)
    How editing and scoring work hand-in-hand to create the larger experience.
  • Jellyfish Lake (2:22)
    The challenges of filming in jellyfish lake.
  • Macro Filming in Palau (3:37)
    Capturing the colors of the ocean with the groundbreaking new rig developed to capture macro 3D underwater footage.
  • Reef and the City (2:16)
    Designing the visual comparisons between the reef and New York City.
  • Statues Under the Sea (2:04)
    Shooting the underwater sculptures to add a human connection to the underwater world.
• Picture Gallery (2:25)
  Automated photo slideshow set to music that plays in a loop. Pictures cycle through every 5 seconds. This is offered in HD on Blu-ray and in 4K on the 4K UHD disc.
• Trailers (8:51)
  A collection of trailers for other Giant Screen 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:

The Last Reef: Cities Beneath the Sea may be my new favorite of these Shout! Factory IMAX/Giant Screen 3D/4K releases. It is an interesting, informative and visually-stunning look at the underwater world of the coral reef. The film’s technical presentation is excellent—it is very beautifully shot, and includes some nice pop-out 3D moments. The 4K version adds even greater detail to the already-phenomenal picture quality of the 3D version. This release also includes some interesting bonus material as well as a Digital HD copy of the film. 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.