58
Metascore
16 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- At its best, the film is a staggering underwater spectacle, a cinema of attractions that outclasses each of Cameron’s previous technical achievements.
- 80VarietyScott FoundasVarietyScott FoundasIt’s the trench imagery itself that’s the primary attraction here, and it proves more than worth the wait.
- 80The DissolveChris KlimekThe DissolveChris KlimekIt’s so high on the thrill of discovery that it might even win over people who can’t stand the guy.
- 70The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeThe Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeIf the three hours of filming Cameron did in the Trench yield little obvious drama, the story of how the Deepsea Challenger reached those depths makes up for it.
- 67TheWrapAlonso DuraldeTheWrapAlonso DuraldeA National Geographic special writ large, Deepsea Challenge 3D is watchable and engaging throughout, even though it's pretty clear how everything is going to come together.
- 50Village VoiceSimon AbramsVillage VoiceSimon AbramsDeepsea Challenge has too little interest in anything that's not Cameron's personal experience.
- 50New York PostSara StewartNew York PostSara StewartOn the whole, the film would probably be more at home on cable and at a reduced running time. I’d like to see a competition series of the same name, in which rival engineers compete to see who can endure having the hard-driving Cameron for a boss.
- 50Washington PostMichael O'SullivanWashington PostMichael O'SullivanIt’s a movie about exploring the vast, “dark continent” of the ocean’s deepest places (to quote Cameron, who produced and narrates the film) that ends up feeling claustrophobic. Much of it was shot inside a metal sphere the size of a fitness ball.
- Seeing unexplored parts of our natural world in state-of-the-art 3-D is great. Listening to James Cameron explain how wonderful he is, while we see all that, is not.
- 38Slant MagazineKenji FujishimaSlant MagazineKenji FujishimaLess explored in all the ensuing back-patting is the question of whether Cameron is, in fact, sincerely interested in learning more about the world around him or whether this mission is merely intended to stroke his own ego.