The Movie
Once the youngest world-champion surfer and now the oldest, Kelly Slater has had a long, illustrious career atop his stick. And so we can understand why his trip to Tahiti to do battle with "The Demonic Wave" would be documented by an IMAX 3D film crew. Even so, The Ultimate Wave Tahiti is as much about the geography of the island and the physics of waves as it is about hanging ten, not to mention quite a bit of down time.
Slater at work is fascinating to watch, more at ease and in command riding the water than most people are on dry land. We also soak in some local color, witness some of the surfer lifestyle--at least those who can afford the trip--and learn a lot about what makes waves. (Turns out it is less about the moon's pull than I was taught.) It all sort of rolls together into a pleasant edu-travel-mentary, here on a single disc in both 2D and 3D.
The Picture
Helicopter shots are a staple of IMAX films, and the 16:9 scenery is truly amazing, with individual leaves discernible on the trees even from hundreds of feet in the air, and jaw-dropping colors all the more impressive in that they occur in nature. Ambitious 3D graphics are utilized to illustrate the astronomy and geography in this story, plus fanciful representations of island ancestors. Once again, the 3D team has composed their shots with a deliberate, successful eye on creating multiple planes of focus using that they find on location, man-made and God-made, with occasional touches like flying water droplets to add a further illusion of depth.
The Sound
The animations and the surfing are backed by effective DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. It's not as beginning-to-end impressive as on other IMAX documentaries I've seen, but it definitely enhances the entire experience. Waves are also given enough bass to inspire a healthy respect for the tons of crashing water. The island music, surfer tunes and original score by Michel Cusson (here apparently channeling John Barry) are also cleanly, spaciously presented.
The Extras
Five brief "Vignettes" look at specific breakaway topics from the movie, including the men and the science. They total about 17 minutes. "Ultimate Tahiti: Beyond the Wave" (five-and-a-half minutes) takes a less-surfer-focused look at the exotic locale. All of these are in two-dimensional high definition. The disc is also BD-Live-compatible.
Final Thoughts
For a few fleeting moments, the 5.1-channel mix of The Ultimate Wave Tahiti combined with the razor-sharp 3D transport us to the waves so convincingly, we can practically feel the spray in our face. Who could ask for more from a surfing documentary on Blu-ray?
Product Details
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