Humpback Whales

Narrated by Ewan McGregor, with a bouncy score built around the American Authors' hit song “Best Day of My Life,” the latest MacGillivray Freeman IMAX big screen adventure focuses on majestic humpback whales. Filmed off the coasts of Alaska, Hawaii, and the islands of Tonga, Humpback Whales serves up a thumbnail history of whaling's devastating effect on these marine mammoths, which led to a ban on the killing of whales that is embraced by most nations (Japan, Norway, and Iceland being exceptions), along with numerous factual tidbits related to size (adults can be over 50 ft. long and weigh 40 tons), longevity (up to 80 years-plus), and migratory patterns (as far as 5,000 miles one-way). Interspersed throughout are segments featuring various individuals and scientists, ranging from a Tongan islander who works to help preserve humpback whales (his grandfather hunted the whales), to Roger Payne, a noted sound ecologist who began studying the famed songs of the humpback whales back in the 1970s. The visuals are characteristically excellent, featuring numerous shots of these majestic creatures breaching and landing with a mighty crash (a sequence trying to present baby humpbacks as cute is less successful, for the simple reason that whales lack discernable facial expressions). Sure to appeal to nature lovers, this beautifully-lensed, informative documentary that serves up a compelling plea for conservation is presented in a standard Blu-ray edition, as well as a two-disc set that features 4K UHD and 3D Blu-ray versions along with the standard Blu-ray. Extras include a “making-of” featurette. Recommended. Aud: I, J, H, P. (R. Pitman)