Mission Blue chronicles the life’s work of legendary oceanographer Sylvia Earle, who served as chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration between 1990 and 1992 and has been an explorer-in-residence at the National Geographic Society since 1998. She dedicated her academic career to canvassing uncharted territories for seaweed, and her attention is now on championing preservation of the seas.
In preparation for World Water Day on March 22nd, we’re deep diving into stories about the future of our oceans. Ready for a dip? 🌊
March’s Binge: Mission Blue
“If we wait another 50 years, opportunities we now have will be gone. This is the moment. Our decisions, our actions will shape everything that follows.”
The documentary largely follows Sylvia as she recalls every single dive she's ever undertaken. During this time, she's seen at least one product of human action, whether that’s dead animals or floating plastic bags. It's a sad realisation that humanity is so selfish, but probably something that, deep down, we all already knew.
Harrowing, insightful, and gorgeous on-screen, Mission Blue is a must-see for any documentary or nature enthusiast.
The sustainability factor
Overall: 3/5
Though Mission Blue gets its title from Earle’s nonprofit organisation, the film rarely comes across as propaganda. The story is not told chronologically, and it shuttles haphazardly between biography, science, and advocacy. That the home-movie clips are in fact reenactments also make them seem a bit disingenuous. However, Earle oozes such dedication and gumption as she tackles the ocean crisis, it’s hard not to be inspired by the furious passion she exudes for her life’s work.
The Viatu review
Themes:
As Sylvia points out, the planet’s waters are in dire shape, and that is pretty terrible news for life on Earth in general. When the documentary starts as she nears 80, we glimpse environmentally catastrophic human actions like the mass harvesting of sharks solely for their valued fins and industrial oil spills that create enormous aquatic dead zones. Earle’s current principal cause, also called Mission Blue, is advocating for hope spots – designated government-protected oceanic zones where nature can recover and be preserved from excess human impact.
