?Adventures in Wild California,? ?Under the Sea? and ?Bugs!? each showing an average of three times a day.Balboa Park is home to many museums and has plenty to offer any San Diego local looking for a new gallery to visit. Unique among these galleries, however, is the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, which provides a hands-on experience with science and boasts Southern California’s only IMAX theater. Currently, the IMAX theater is showing three different films: “Adventures in Wild California,” “Under the Sea” and “Bugs!” each showing an average of three times a day.
The film “Under the Sea” is an exploration of ocean wildlife around the world from the Coral Triangle of Papua New Guinea to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Written and directed by local San Diegans Michele and Howard Hall and narrated by Jim Carrey, this film offers an intimate look into the hunting and mating habits as well as the symbiotic relationships of multiple underwater species.
“Under the Sea” opens with images of a vast ocean and mountainous islands while Carrey’s quirky narrative is heard over these pictures. It quickly changes to an underwater scene in which hundreds of fish are swimming around looking for food, covering the entirety of the dome shaped theater. The sounds and sights of being underwater make the audience feel as if are inside a giant aquarium or underwater, silently observing the sea creatures. Each shift of focus to a different animal goes deeper into the coral and reveals something new. In one part, the film focuses on eels, displaying a group with their tail ends dug into the ground and their bodies upright and flowing with the currents of the water, all while playing Indian music fitting to their movements. The eel scene is not the only scene in which the music relates to the action of the piece; this is also demonstrated in a part of the film centered on cuttlefish. Not only does the film describe the cuttlefish’s eating habits in which it strikes with deadly speed and accuracy, but it also displays a female cuttlefish being faithfully followed by two male cuttlefish, each hoping to impregnate the female while a corresponding jazz song about love plays in the background.
The setting then shifts to the Great Barrier Reef, reviewing its history and describing how the coral grew upon itself to create underwater mountains and a new habitat for many different sea creatures. The Great Barrier Reef is home to numerous species of animals, including Crown Jellyfish and the turtles that prey upon and eat venomous creatures. The film also touches on the Great White Shark, revealing its symbiotic relationship with different types of smaller fish and its prey: sea lions.
In the last part of the film, “Under the Sea” ventures into a more environmentally moral message. Focusing on the Great Barrier Reef, the film explains the process of ocean acidification and the excess of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. It further describes how these occurrences are destroying the coral reefs and killing its inhabitants, such as the fanciful sea dragons. This message is integrated into the ending of the movie, stressing humanity’s ability to change and recover from the destructive path it has been on, stating that people are now working toward a more environmentally friendly Earth.
“Under the Sea” closes with images of adorable sea lions and a cover of the song, “Octopus’s Garden” by The Beatles, reflecting their playful behaviors and the hopeful tone of the film. The movie runs for 40 minutes and is an enjoyable, as well as educational, IMAX experience for anyone who is looking for another fun activity to take part in at Balboa Park.
For more information about IMAX show times, visit www.rhfleet.org.
