Ocean with David Attenborough; A wakeup call for ALL.

David Attenborough has long been a prominent figure in both environmental advocacy and documentary filmmaking, his career launching in natural history broadcasting with the acclaimed series Zoo Quest (Brittanica, 2025).This was followed by a vast body of work, including numerous acclaimed documentaries and television series that explore the wonders of the natural world (Brittanica, 2025).  When David Attenborough lends his voice for big screen documentaries viewers expect stunning cinematography and eery truths. News agencies like The Guardian sharing their own reviews from past documentaries like the Our Planet Review

The documentary Ocean with Sir David Attenborough serves as a powerful reminder of how vulnerable ocean life is, especially in the context of climate change. While it beautifully shows the underwater world, its real strength is in how it ensures viewers reflect on how important the ocean is and offers hope for future generations. Nearing his 99th birthday Sir David Attenborough approaches this documentary in the frame of his knowledge throughout his career and life.

This documentary opens on a note of wonder showcasing the underwater world in vivid detail.

The film then transitions from this idyllic state exposing the dark side of the ocean and describing how humans are poisoning this important part of our planet. Exposing overfishing and industrial practises like bottom trawling which scrape and completely devastate sea beds, world wildlife explains this issue further.

The film further contrasts its earlier beautiful cinematography with graphic and confronting imagery with striking before and after scenes of once living seabeds turned barren and lifeless.

One of the film’s greatest strengths is that it doesn’t rely solely on imagery and spectacle it is supported by recent scientific data. For example, it emphasises that less than 3% of the ocean is currently protected and that the ocean absorbs nearly one-third of global carbon emissions (Ocean, 2025). Powerful statistics like these contribute to the documentary’s impact, helping viewers grasp the ocean’s vital role and the urgency of its protection.

Attenborough uses his signature warm and earnest narration; he avoids sensationalism allowing the films cinematography and facts to stand on their own. Although a sense of urgency is still there, framing the issue of ocean degradation as something with immediate consequence for humanity and global biodiversity.

Although some moments in the film do feel familiar to past documentaries like Our Planet and Blue Planet II  showing the beauty of the Earth, then its destruction, and finally offering hope. However, Ocean does renew this arc slightly with updated science and compelling visuals.

A strength of this film is how it maintains a sense of balanced hope, while the strong damage of the ocean is revealed the film emphasises the ecosystems that can rebound when destructive practises are halted and protections enforced. Having Attenborough as the guiding voice of this documentary elevates its impact considerably. His decades of experience in natural history broadcasting and his lifelong dedication to environmental education lend the film a sense of authority. Viewers instinctively will trust his narration, not only because of his reputation for accuracy and integrity, but also because he has personally witnessed many of the changes to the natural world that the documentary describes. This lived experience gives the film a unique credibility that few other narrators could provide.

 However, the film is not without its limitations for some viewers the vivid depictions of environmental devastation may feel emotionally overwhelming, as the imagery of damaged ecosystems and suffering wildlife is often stark and unsettling. Whilst this intensity is powerful in driving home the urgency of the issues, it has the potential to leave audiences feeling momentarily powerless in the face of such immense challenges. Yet it is important to note that the documentary does not dwell solely on despair; it deliberately balances these dark moments with ideas of resilience and recovery, offering viewers hope that meaningful change is still possible if action is taken. By juxtaposing destruction with renewal, the film ensures that while the emotional weight is heavy it ultimately guides audiences toward a sense of responsibility and optimism

The timing of Ocean is effective as it was released in 2025 it coincides with growing global focus on marine protection and comes ahead of the UN Ocean Conference  in Nice, 2025 where nations discuss protecting up to 30% of the world’s oceans (Ocean, 2025). Its timing adds weight and urgency to the film’s message helping to shape public discourse and drive meaningful conversations in the critical months leading up to this event.

Ocean with David Attenborough is more than a nature film it is a journalistic piece of storytelling that is combined with vivid visual reporting, scientific data, moral urgency, and hope. While some elements echo familiar tropes, the urgency of its message makes Ocean an essential viewing, its themes are not confined to activists, they speak to everyone. As the health of the oceans underpins global climate stability, food security, and the future of human life itself. This universality is what makes the documentary so important, it is not just a film for those already engaged in environmental debates, but a wakeup call for all.

Below are some articles related to this documentary that may interest you:

The celebrated presenter warns of ‘modern day colonialism at sea’ as he highlights the destruction caused by overfishing and bottom trawling – https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/may/01/ocean-david-attenborough-trawling-fishing-industry-film-documentary

David Attenborough’s ‘Ocean’ is a brutal, beautiful wake-up call from the sea-

https://apnews.com/article/ocean-film-attenborough-climate-848a65883fc1ec2601550d3cbfb0e36a

The ocean we need for the future we want-

https://www.unesco.org/en/ocean

References

The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. (2019). David Attenborough | Biography, TV Series, & Facts. In Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/David-Attenborough

Nowlan, T., Butfield, C., & Scholey, K. (2025). Ocean with David Attenborough .Silverback Films; Open Planet Studios; National Geographic. Disney+