By Abigail Ardron
David Attenborough’s cutting edge new series ‘Blue Planet II’ explores the earth’s vast oceans and its wild creatures that swim through thousand-year-old currents; following biological instincts and the unknown call of a higher purpose. With new visual technologies, Attenborough has not only captured the beauty and majesty of the world beneath the ocean’s surface in a new and unseen light, but has scarily exposed the impending threats that rapidly encroach upon the boundaries of safety protecting the seas and its inhabitants. Taking the viewer on a journey to the arctic where walruses bound on melting ice, Attenborough details their struggle for survival against the backdrop of a swiftly changing world. With a lack of expansive ice plains near the water’s edge, breeding grounds for the walrus are diminishing. Subsequently they are driven out to floating glaciers upon which there is not guarantee of safety amongst choppy open waters. Returning to land, polar bears face the threat of starvation as more walruses seek safety offshore, effectively limiting an already waning food supply.
Blue Planet II is a cinematic masterpiece, yet a confronting and almost disheartening presentation of the earth’s greatest asset. In true Attenborough style, his documentary series entertainingly offers hilarity, yet thought provoking messages which, after viewing, one feels compelled to take on board and be “doers of justice”.