Aliens of the Deep (James Cameron, 2005): USA

Reviewed by Kathleen Amboy.  Viewed at the Arlington, Santa Barbara Film Fest.

  As a Special Event, the SBIFF hosts “Field Trip to the Movies” where 5th and 6th graders from local schools are invited to attend a special film screening.  This year’s screening was James Cameron’s Aliens of the Deep in 3D.

In 2005 Cameron joined both NASA scientists and marine biologists to study a chain of mountains below the ocean’s surface known as the Mid-Ocean Ridge.  The theory being, that in order to progress the study of water on other planets (or moons), we must continually research the oceans on our planet first.

There are creatures in the deep sea that do not rely on photosynthesis to exist, but rather thrive in and around hydrothermal vents, which constantly emit smokey-black hot water.  Near this volcanic activity, a highly complex community of organisms are continually at work.  Among many unidentified creatures, there are giant tube worms, crab, shrimp and jellyfish.

After the screening, James Cameron appeared on stage with Dijanna Figueroa, one of the biologists from the film.  They both discussed their interest in ocean studies, and their love of planet earth.  They encouraged the school children to let their imagination lead them into various fields of scientific study and to care for their own envirnoment. 

 After the discussion period, both Cameron and Figueroa graciously answered many of the children’s questions.  Cameron also screened a short portion of his 2009 blockbuster hit Avatar to the kids, in order to show them just how many of the imaginary creatures on Pandora were taken from real creatures of the deep sea.

James Cameron is to be applauded for gifting the local children with his time and talent as an influential director.  Aliens of the Deep was a productive use of 3-D, which captured the attention of many school children which might not otherwise have an interest in viewing an underwater documentary.