Deepsea Challenge 3D

This 2014 documentary covers the dive James Cameron made alone to the deepest point of the Mariana Trench in March 2012. It runs two lines together: the wish to be an explorer that Cameron carried from childhood, and the years of design and testing that made the dive possible. The building of the submersible, the failed trials and the work of the technical team are laid out in detail, and what pressure means at a depth beyond eleven kilometres is made concrete. The footage from the dive itself shows a quieter, emptier world than expected, and the film does not hide that. The approach stays close to Cameron and keeps no critical distance from the project. The question of what was gained scientifically is also not opened far enough. Who it's for: viewers who like exploration documentaries and are curious about engineering processes. Who it's not for: anyone wanting substantial information about ocean science; the film puts its weight on the personal story.