Deep Blue Sea Blu-ray delivers stunning video and audio in this fan-pleasing Blu-ray release
Researchers on the undersea laboratory Aquatica have genetically altered the brains of captive sharks to develop a potential cure for Alzheimer's disease. There is one unexpected side effect. The sharks are getting smarter. Which could mean trouble for the researchers. And lunch for the sharks.
For more about Deep Blue Sea and the Deep Blue Sea Blu-ray release, see Deep Blue Sea Blu-ray Review published by Jeffrey Kauffman on March 15, 2025 where this Blu-ray release scored 3.0 out of 5.
Some of the supplements Arrow has aggregated for this release make a valiant attempt to say something along the lines of, "If only there hadn't been
that stupid Jaws movie, people would have appreciated Deep Blue
Sea more". Well, yeah. . . Maybe. But that very argument inevitably points out the probably inarguable fact that if you're
jonesin' for
a
"shark flick", that "little" effort from Steven Spielberg is probably the way to go. Even granting Deep Blue Sea "silver medal" status in the
pantheon of movies about killer sea life, as one of the supplements overtly does, may not completely persuade some people about the inherent quality
of this admittedly fun and occasionally quite tense thriller, but to further that metaphor just a bit, let's just state that the assumed gold medal winner
in this particular case is on a pedestal a good deal higher than this film.
Deep Blue Sea has had a couple of prior releases on 1080 disc (including re-releases), and Martin Liebman's
Deep Blue Sea Blu-ray review of Warner Brothers' original
2010 release provides ample plot information as well as a listing of supplements and Marty's reaction to the technical presentation. I'm frankly not
quite sure why that review doesn't offer actual screenshots.
Deep Blue Sea is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. Arrow's beautiful
perfect bound booklet included with this release provides the following information on the presentation (as they tend to do, Arrow provides the same
insert booklet for both its 1080 and 4K UHD releases, hence some of the HDR verbiage which is obviously irrelevant here):
Deep Blue Sea has been restored by Arrow Films and is presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.39:1 with 5.1 and Dolby Atmos audio.
The film is presented in 4K resolution in HDR10 and Dolby Vision.
The original 35mm camera negative was scanned in 4K 16 bit resolution at Warner Bros. / Motion Picture Imaging. The film was restored in 4K
resolution and colour graded at Duplitech.
The new restored master of Deep Blue Sea has been approved by director Renny Harlin.
All materials source for this new master were made available by Warner Bros.
The 5.1 mix was sourced from Warner Bros.
The Atmos mix was produced by Arrow Films and completed at Deluxe Audio, London.
This is another great looking presentation of a veritable "cult movie" from Arrow, though I'll cut to the chase and recommend those with the
appropriate equipment who are interested in this film to opt for Arrow's Deep Blue Sea 4K release, as HDR / Dolby Vision in particular elevate shadow detail and palette nuance. Detail levels
remain perhaps surprisingly intact throughout the presentation, faltering only in expected moments like some of the murkiest underwater material.
Both outdoor material and even some of the brightly lit lab scenes offer excellent fine detail levels, especially during close-ups of the actual humans
in the story. Some of the nascent CGI effects are not especially believable (another place where the increased resolution of the 4K UHD version may
actually not redound to the presentation's benefit). Grain is quite heavy
at times and has a bit of the splotchy yellow quality which is frankly probably only more pronounced in Arrow's 4K UHD version. On the whole,
though, I found grain to resolve rather tightly throughout.
Deep Blue Sea offers Dolby Atmos and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 options (kind of interestingly, the disc defaults to the DTS-HD Master Audio
5.1 track, not the Atmos track). Marty had a few passing qualms when assessing the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track on the old Warner Blu-ray, but I
found both the 5.1 and especially the Atmos presentations on this disc to be consistently immersive (again, sorry, water pun unavoidable), with some
really impressive LFE and midrange in both tracks in any number of sequences, probably most noticeably some of the more "explosive"
scenes. It's kind of funny to talk about Atmos verticality in underwater material, but the bubbling, swirling sounds that accompany a lot of
the submerged vignettes offer noticeable overhead activity. Discrete channelization in the side and rear speakers also offers some really nice surround
activity in some of the calamitous material as things spin out of control during the storm. There is one perhaps major issue on the Atmos track,
depending on how you feel about LL Cool J, with the closing
music cutting out almost a full minute before the end of the credits (the 5.1 track does not have this problem). Dialogue is rendered cleanly and
clearly throughout. Optional
English subtitles are available.
Critic Commentary features Rebekah McKendry, co-host of the Colors of the Dark podcast and a self-described shark movie
freak. This is new to this edition and was recorded in 2024.
Screenwriter Commentary features Duncan Kennedy and has some interesting "how the sausage got made" background that may
disclose a bit of rueful frustration on Kennedy's part. This is new to this edition and was recorded in 2024.
Director Commentary is the archival piece from the old Blu-ray ported over here, and which considering it also features Samuel L.
Jackson may have provoked a choice expletive from the actor for not being mentioned in the title (the description at least gets around to including
him).
From the Frying Pan into the Studio Tanks (HD; 25:08) is a really appealing new interview with production designer William Sandell,
whose name may frankly not be all that well known, but who has some impressive credits in addition to this film.
Beneath the Surface (HD; 19:30) is a new visual essay by Trace Thurman which makes the case that the real villain of this
film is not the "smart sharks".
When Sharks Attack (HD*; 15:07) is an archival making of featurette.
The Sharks of Deep Blue Sea (HD*; 8:19) is an archival piece looking at the animatronic killers.
Deleted Scenes (HD; 8:02) have optional commentary by Renny Harlin. These are HD in name only and were obviously sourced from
a low res source.
Theatrical Trailer (HD; 2:22)
Image Galleries
Posters & Stills (HD)
Production Art and Design (HD)
If the film only deserves "silver" status (if even that), per the above mentioned supplement, Arrow goes for the gold in terms of packaging and non
disc swag with this limited edition. The keepcase offers a reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork by Luke Preece, and a
double sided fold out poster offers the same two art choices. The keepcase encloses postcards from Aquatica. A 60 page perfect bound collector's
book offers interesting essays by Josh Hurtado, Jenni Kermode and Murray Leeder and a glut of archival material. All of this is enclosed in a
handsomely designed slipbox. The slipbox is enclosed in an O ring slipcover.
Judging by this film and the upcoming The Long Kiss
Goodnight 4K, Arrow's on a bit of a Renny Harlin kick right now, and fans of the frankly often maligned director should find this release to
easily top the old Warner 1080 disc in both technical merits and especially supplements and non disc swag and packaging.
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Arrow Video has announced its March batch of 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray releases. They are: Deep Blue Sea (1999), Play It Cool (1970), Don't Torture a Duckling (1972), Dressed to Kill (1980), and The Terminal Man (1974).