Samsung IMAX 3D Triple Feature Blu-ray Review
Updated: Apr 8, 2023
Alright, this is going to be a bit of a weird review as I'm not just going to be reviewing one movie, but three. In the event of a triple feature package like this, my default action is to try to review the films individually. But being as two of the films in this triple features can't be bought individually, I think it's fair to review them all at once here. This will be a long review, for sure. But if you really want to know whether or not this Blu-ray package is worth buying, then strap in. Without further ado, here is my review of the Samsung IMAX 3D Triple Feature.
IMAX: GALAPAGOS
IMAX: Galapagos is an IMAX 3D documentary from 1999. Narrated by Kenneth Branagh, IMAX: Galapagos takes us on an adventure with marine biologist Dr. Carole Baldwin to the Galapagos islands off the coast of South America to explore an array of exotic creatures first discovered by Charles Darwin in the 1800s, animals that science has yet to catch up with.
Documentaries shown in IMAX can often times be about a dime a dozen. But the ones made specifically by IMAX are usually always something special. They’re competently made, they’re well-told, and they deliver some of the most memorable experiences you can get from a IMAX 3D screen. There’s a reason we remember films like Hubble or Under the Sea while others like Dinosaurs Alive and Grand Canyon Adventure often fall into obscurity, even though they aren’t that bad.
That being said, there are a few films made by IMAX that while aren’t quite on the same level as their best works, do deserve to be talked about more but end up falling into such obscurity anyway because of their age or subject matter or any other related reason. And Galapagos is a prime example. It’s well paced, the narration isn’t heavy-handed, its visuals can be nothing less than stunning, and the overall experience is immersive and lots of fun, taking you down to Galapagos without you even having to leave your seat.
As far as story goes, there isn’t really all that much to say. We simply go over to the island to study some animals. For the first half of the doc, we follow Dr. Baldwin on land as we get close up views of the birds and land animals. And for the second half, we follow her underwater in a submersible as we explore the depths of the sea and witness the strange sea creatures that live there. In a way, the simplicity of it is part of what makes this film, and most of the other IMAX documentaries, fun to watch as it doesn’t bog you down with scientific details, but rather focuses on all the little things and lets you take them all in in all their IMAX 3D glory.
So is Galapagos as good as Hubble or Under the Sea, I’ll have to say no, but not by much. It still does what an IMAX documentary does best: to take you on a 40-minute ride to a place you’ll most likely never go while giving you a bit of slight education in the process. It doesn’t stray too far from that formula. But that formula is highly effective. In fact, considering the film’s age, it probably helped invent the formula (this movie is the old the IMAX opening is in gold). I won’t say it’s particularly as memorable as the likes of the aforementioned better IMAX movies, but it still one of the more well-made and entertaining films of its sort and it’s a shame it doesn’t get more recognition.
OVERALL FILM RATING: 4/5
Galapagos is absolutely incredible in 3D. Then again, so are the likes of IMAX’s Deep Sea and Space Station. But even after seeing those movies, and just getting off the heels of Avatar in IMAX 3D, the 3D in this film still blew me away. And it only adds onto the shame of how this film is known by only so few.
The depth throughout the film is simply amazing. The wide shots do bizarrely go flat, like I’ve seen in other 3D films before (a technique I don’t really like, but can still understand). But luckily, they only take of 2-3 minutes of screen time. When the rest of the film takes place on ground, it allows the elements to go back so far into the screen you wouldn’t believe it. In fact, the picture of Galapagos you see on the cover of the triple feature delivers some one of the deepest shots in the whole movie, with the birds sitting in the foreground and the sea looking so far away it’s staggering. Inside the screen, we go onto the beach, into caves, forests, inside the ocean, and on top of equipment heavy boats. Everything goes back into the shot precisely how much it should, making the environment complete eye candy. The parallax with this movie is right on point. Sometimes, it can be pretty extreme, leading to a few shots that looked slightly warped. But this is only occasional. Virtually all the time, there is enough space in between every little detail to keep you mesmerized virtually from beginning to end.
But it’s not just the amount of depth in-screen that makes this trip to the Galapagos lots of fun. There is also a constant array of pop-outs that make you feel immersed in the Galapagos island. Remember that close up of the bird I mentioned earlier? Well, that’s far from the only close up shot of animals we get in the film. We focus on everything from turtles to birds to other exotic looking creatures that only the Galapagos island can bring to the table. But not only do they go into the screen a good way, they also provide us a fun experience by coming out of it. And even if the animals themselves don’t, the surrounding environment from the rocks to the trees to anything else available do. There is also a neat trick where the camera places itself right on top of the ground with the rocks, sand, or water coming right of the screen, making you feel as if you’re on the same ground level as the creatures are. Even when we enter the ocean, the pop outs never let up, as we still get everything from fish to plankton to the ocean floor to the submersible coming out into negative parallax.
As I mentioned earlier, what makes Galapagos a fun documentary is the way it lingers on nature allowing the visuals to provide a captivating, mesmerizing experience. And obviously, it wasn’t meant to be seen in 2D. In 3D, this film absolutely shines, taking you on a journey down to an island full of creatures moving around right in front of you with an environment that goes into the screen and out of it. This film is a fantastic 3D experience all around, and I bet it would’ve been much better in IMAX 3D. Sadly, because of its age, hardly anyone talks about it. And to be fair, I probably don’t like its 3D quite as much as Hubble. But if you’re looking for a 3D documentary that uses its 3D as an essential device to view the film in all its immersive glory, Galapagos certainly fits the bill.
3D RATING: EXCELLENT
IMAX: INTO THE DEEP
IMAX: Into the Deep is a 1994 IMAX 3D documentary. Directed by Howard Hall and narrated by Kate Nelligan, this film takes you into on a journey under the sea to see different kinds of fish, underwater landscapes, and surreal marine foliage, showcasing the strangeness and beauty of the ocean.
There have been probably hundreds of 3D documentaries made about the ocean. And they all have seemingly one goal: to display all the wonder the sea has to offer in great 3D detail, making you feel as if you’re there. Out of all of them, only Under the Sea and Deep Sea are the ones people still talk to this day. They’re great films that fulfill that purpose wonderfully. But in between those two films and, say something like Dolphins and Whales, you have films like Into the Deep; films that aren’t quite up there with the best, but still fulfill their purpose well and receive surprisingly little recognition for it.
It’s a little hard to talk about Into the Deep because how well it works as a documentary often overlaps with how well its 3D works. But in terms of storytelling, it’s very effective, though not anything particularly special. It simply lets the ocean play out how it will and allows you to witness it. The narration isn’t heavy, it’s well paced, and everything comes together in a satisfying way. There really isn’t much to complain about with Into the Deep. In fact, it handles its elements surprisingly well. The direction of the film is consistently interesting and fun to watch, and what we see onscreen is equally so. I guess Into the Deep isn’t quite as bright as Under the Sea or as surreal looking as Deep Sea. But if you already have seen both films and are looking for something that delivers the goods almost just as well as them, look no further than Into the Deep.
OVERALL FILM RATING: 4/5
What can I say? 3D effects and the ocean go together like peanut butter and jelly. And Into the Deep perfectly showcases this. Virtually every shot of the film uses 3D in a captivating and immersive way, giving you the impression of not just looking at every single detail of the ocean, but also being in it.
When the film first starts out, we get an overhead forward moving view of a beach that is pretty much entirely flat. But it quickly makes up for it when it moves the camera right above the water, allowing the ocean surface to stretch out into your living room. Right after this is when we first go into the sea, and we are treated with approximately 30 minutes of stunning underwater views that 3D makes all the more amazing to watch. Throughout the movie, we are treated to incredible landscapes that reach far into the screen from pillars of floating seaweed to coral to rocks to the ocean floor. But those elements are at their most impressive when they’re in the foreground, showing off their surreal three-dimensional shape in great detail, giving you to illusion you can reach out and touch it. And I can’t forget the scenes where the camera looks up to the ocean surface, and just like in any other 3D movie, it’s a sight that never ceases to amaze.
But this movie isn’t just about what goes on in the screen, it’s also about bringing the environment right out into the theater. From the beginning to the end of the movie, the elements of the landscape I mentioned earlier all pop off the screen a staggering amount. The leaves from the seaweed fly right by your face, coral and rocks come right of the screen, and of course, like any good 3D film about the ocean, there’s an abundance of pop outs involving plankton, plankton, plankton.
But of course, if beautiful underwater landscape was all this movie is about, this review would be over. Luckily, we also have an enormous amount of sea creatures for our eyes to feed on. Fish go into and out of the screen constantly, sometimes to the point where they’re literally in your face. The scenes where the fish are traveling in school, mainly near the end of the film, provide some of the beautiful and stunning pieces of 3D you’ll see in a film like this, with each fish in its own space moving with all the other fish in different places of 3D space. As for the other sea creatures such as the crab and starfish, they still are fun to look at in 3D with the extra space added, albeit not quite as much as the fish.
I do have a couple of complaints about the film, but they’re mostly very small. First off, because of all the negative parallax on display, it is bound to cause some eye strain, making this a film for the more seasoned 3D viewer. Secondly, while most of the movie is extremely impressive, there are about 5-6 minutes where the 3D, while certainly good, is not quite amazing enough for it to be put on the same level as Under the Sea and Deep Sea. It’s a small thing, for sure. But in a movie that’s only 35 minutes long, it causes the film to tow the line between great and excellent at times. In spite of the fact that I’ve given 7 out of the 12 3D films I’ve reviewed thus far an “excellent” rating, it’s a rating I really try not to give to every film. There were a few places where I was considering giving the film a rating of “great.” But amazing scenes really were amazing, making the payoff all too fantastic. With everything in consideration, I rate the film as 3D Dinosaur Certified Excellent. It’s not quite the best thing you’ll ever see. But it still delivers a mesmerizing experience that, in my opinion, is a must buy for die-hard fans of 3D, and those who want to make sure old IMAX films like this don’t fall down the memory hole because of films like Deep Sea and Under the Sea.
3D RATING: EXCELLENT
MUMMIES: SECRETS OF THE PHARAOHS
Mummies: Secrets of the Pharaohs is a 2007 documentary by Giant Screen Pictures designed especially for IMAX 3D screens. Narrated by Christopher Lee, this documentary explores the fascinating history behind mummification and the traditions practiced by the ancient pharaohs and Egyptians surrounding mummification. The film also shows how the discoveries of mummies have played in archeology and continue to play into modern science.
IMAX documentaries that aren’t made specifically by IMAX tend not to gain as much of a memorable reputation as something like Hubble or Born to the Wild. And I can understand why, as it’s mostly due to a lack of advertising or the film itself just being run-of-the-mill, or maybe both. However, that doesn’t mean that obscure documentaries like this are always bad or won’t deliver what you’re looking for. And while Mummies probably doesn’t deserve a ton of recognition, it’s still an enjoyable movie overall and will most likely please anyone considering checking it out.
This doc, in a similar fashion to other non-IMAX IMAX docs, takes its subject, in this case mummies, and uses it to cover several main topics: the history of mummies, the discoveries of mummies, and how mummies are being used today in modern science. These topics would probably seem a bit random if done without the proper pacing and direction. But it all ends up coming together in an appreciable way. Maybe, I just found the subject matter interesting. But I personally found the journey into these topics to be pretty engrossing.
The information itself was fun to learn about. From the historical side of things, the exploration into the life, burial, and tradition of ancient pharaohs was surreal but also informative. From a medical side of things, there is discussion in how studying the DNA of old mummies can lead to breakthroughs in discovering the past and also help with our own medical treatment in the present. That too ends up blending pretty well into the documentary. And there are also some stories presented about tomb raiders, explorers, archeologists, and merchants who in some way or another, end up discovering the rare and valuables tombs of the pharaohs that were also somewhat compelling.
It was all treated well visually (which I’ll get to more in the 3D section). The deep narration of Christopher Lee was certainly a bonus. And the music and score isn’t all that terrible either, even if it does seem a little off brand.
That’s all I really have to say about Mummies. If you find mummies an interesting subject to go into, this documentary delivers the goods. It’s still not as memorable as something like the aforementioned documentaries above from IMAX themselves. But as far as obscure IMAX docs go, this is probably one of the more enjoyable ones. If you’re considering watching Mummies: Secrets of the Pharaohs, I recommend it.
OVERALL FILM RATING: 3.5/5
Something else I’ve noticed with obscure non-IMAX IMAX documentaries is that their 3D can be a bit hit or miss. And with that, I usually mean that some portions of the movie have incredible 3D while other portions have weak 3D or are just plain flat. I can typically stand the inconsistent 3D as long as the great 3D is placed where it counts the most. The good thing is, if you’re on the fence about whether or not this film is any good in the third dimension added, I’m happy to say that this film serves as a good example.
Now, I wouldn’t go as far to say that Mummies: Secrets of the Pharaoh is incredible when you consider the overall product. But the scenes that are great in 3D really are amazing. The depth is primarily stunning in the scenes that involve long vistas or explorations in the ancient tombs. One of the film’s more memorable moments involves a shot that includes a long view of the Sphinx and the Great Pyramid. Both landmarks reach back so far into the screen you wouldn’t hardly believe it. Virtually anytime we look at a large monument or tomb from a distance, the depth is so vast we feel as if we’re actually looking at the landmarks in all their glory. Another standout moment includes a time-lapse of a tomb aging until one of the guardian statues breaks off and falls to the ground. Throughout the film, we also get views around large Egyptian structures that are perfectly composed in 3D. We get plenty of bottom to top views of large tombs, hallways with large pillars, and etc. Even the surrounding sandy Egyptian landscape seems to go off for infinity.
Inside the ancient structures, the depth can still remain plentiful and perfectly lifelike. When the mummy coffins are opened up, we get to see the mummies themselves in full 3D glory, with every aspect about them from their faces, their hands, the coffin itself, and their overall body being placed in their own 3D space. The tombs themselves also retain proper size and dimension, making them look all the more mesmerizing to look into, and maybe slightly claustrophobic. The film isn’t really all that big on pop outs, but it does lend itself to a few. The most notable occurs when a monster flies out into the audience to devour you whole, which is pretty appropriate considering the history lesson being taught here at the same time.
Not every shot in the film has such deep 3D, sadly. These are luckily mostly scenes where the 3D is probably least necessary. But it’s still somewhat unfortunate to see the 3D not be kept fully consistent from beginning to end. The parts where the 3D is probably at its weakest are during scenes involving people interacting with each other on the ground. During these scenes, the depth is not fully non-existent, but it’s barely there. And sometimes, it looks a bit awkward. What I mean here is that the people in the frame, I don’t know if this is the proper way to say this, look strange around their edges, giving off almost the impression that someone is behind them. This isn’t in every scene, of course, but it looks weird none the less. Besides that, sometimes other objects that look like they should be in their own 3D space look jumbled together. There are a few key moments that really seem to define this trend. One of which is during a scene where plenty of slaves are working around giant wooden structures. Each person and piece of wood looks to be on the same exact plane. And in the marketplace reenactments, the depth that is barely there doesn’t seem to give everyone their own 3D space. I wouldn’t really call it a cardboard cutout look. I’d say it looks a bit more like regular 2D with the buildings only barely reaching back into the screen. I don’t know much about the making of the film. But if I had to guess, I’d say these scenes were post-converted. And unfortunately, there are also a few views in the Egyptian architecture that also seem just like the 2D image was merely pushed back into the screen a little.
These disappointing shots don’t take up the entire film though. In fact, the good shots are in greater number than the bad ones. If the whole movie retained that fantastic 3D, I’d probably give the 3D a rating of “great” or maybe even “excellent.” But because the parts that are lackluster are pretty lackluster, and I can see how they can disrupt some of the biggest of 3D fans, I’m knocking the rating down to “good.” Still, if you’re going to watch the film at all, the 3D is still the preferred way to go, even with its occasional disappointments.
3D RATING: GOOD
Other sources that review this movie's 3D (the opinions expressed in these reviews may not always match up with mine. But if you want a second opinion on this movie's 3D, these are some sources I recommend checking out):
High-Def Digest Review: https://bluray.highdefdigest.com/4742/mummies_3d.html
Blu-ray.com Review: https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Samsung-Presents-IMAX-3D-Triple-Feature-Blu-ray/16085/
FINAL THOUGHTS:
The films you find in this package aren't of course going to be on the same level as the top tier IMAX films like Hubble, Born to be Wild, or Under the Sea. That being said, this package of seemingly B-tier IMAX documentaries did deliver some very pleasant surprises. Notably, I was very pleased with the way Galapagos and Into the Deep turned out. They weren't just enjoyable IMAX documentaries on their own, but the 3D on both films were absolutely superb. In my opinion this package is worth buying just for those two films, as not only can you not buy them anywhere else expect for on this package, but they're top notch IMAX 3D movies that don't get any recognition because they were made in the last millennium. Granted, IMAX has come up with some better 3D films since then. But those two films are certainly worth owning simply for learning of how well IMAX was at producing good 3D movies even back in its early days when IMAX was such a niche market. Mummies isn't quite as good 3D wise or movie wise as the other two films. But it's still a nice addition to this triple feature and contains some pretty decent 3D. All in all, while this package as a whole may not be quite as much of a must buy as the likes of the aforementioned IMAX 3D films above, I still highly recommend buying it. Not just because of the content of the the two IMAX films inside, but also because of prosperity and the history they carry of the IMAX company that ought not get lost to obscurity.
DID YOU LIKE "IMAX: GALAPAGOS" IN 3D
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DID YOU LIKE "IMAX: INTO THE DEEP" IN 3D
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DID YOU LIKE "MUMMIES: SECRETS OF THE PHARAOHS" IN 3D
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