Product Details

• Actors: Robert Redford, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Wade Davis, Shana Watahomigie, Tara Davis
• Directors: Greg MacGillivray
• Format: Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English, French
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT
• DVD Release Date: February 24, 2009
• Run Time: 45 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001KEGRC0
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #62,005 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "IMAX: Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

GRAND CANYON ADVENTURE/RIVER AT RISK - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful yet preacy, February 23, 2009

By 

SRFireside "ZOOM!" (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: IMAX: Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)

I didn't see any description for this disk when writing this so here is a quick summary: The Colorado river is dwindling due to our ever expanding need for fresh water. Conservationist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and botanist Wade Davis (along with their daughters) and canyon guide Shana Watahomigie take an expedition to illustrate the need for changing the way the Colorado is exploited.

I haven't seen that many IMAX films on the Grand Canyon so I won't be able to give any real comparisons, but I will say this one does at least deliver on what I was looking for: Nice wide footage of the Grand Canyon. Although most of the footage is personal shots of the expedition you do get some really good aerial footage as well as other impressive nature shots.

The difference between this particular documentary and what I would normally expect from a Grand Canyon is that it has a conservation message tied to it. Instead of focusing solely on nature's wonder there is a lot of footage on the effects of drought and siphoning of the Colorado River. So if you are looking for a full-on nature safari this isn't exactly it. At the same time it's not like you aren't getting any absolutely amazing footage either. Just not as much as I was expecting.

Like many IMAX films coming to Blu-Ray the AVC transfer is breathtaking. Every little detail will stand out. The audio is equally immersive with the DTS HD MA 5.1 track getting you wrapped up in the sounds of the canyon all over. There is also a French DTS audio track. On the minus side there are no subtitles of any kind. There are a somewhat respectable list of extra features on this release, which I suppose it better than expected. Most of the extras are standard definition with the exception of one. Here is what you get:

- 30 Minute Making of Featurette

- Music video by Wade Davis' daughter, Tara

- Retrospective of MFF IMAX productions (in HD)

- Water saving tips and river clean up tips (sponsored by Kholer and Tava)

- Fact sheet on the Grand Canyon and Colorado River

- Trivia quiz (text)

Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk is a very worthwhile documentary that shows the real beauty of the Grand Canyon... if you don't mind the preachy parts. Of course conservationists will really appreciate the fact filled message as well as the eye candy. The IMAX theater release was also in 3-D, but I haven't heard of any releases on Blu-Ray or DVD that will take advantage of that anytime soon.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Probably better in IMAX theaters, February 28, 2009

By 

Davey Schmidt (Sequim, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: IMAX: Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)

I have several IMAX dvds and had high expectations about this new Blu-ray product. I especially liked the Ganges and Mysteries of the Nile productions and expected even better footage here since they were filming the Colorado River and landscape of the Grand Canyon.

I think as a conservation film this was okay. However, if you are interested in landscapes and river rafting, I've seen so much better out there and I was disappointed in the quality and coverage. I have a new Blu-ray player and expected better from this film. I guess it loses something once out of the IMAX, 3D environment it was designed for. It almost seemed over-exposed. Too much time focusing on clever graphics. After all, this is the Grand Canyon - it is not needed and I found it slightly irritating.

17 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed..., October 28, 2009

By 

Leisureman (NC USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: IMAX: Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk (DVD)

I presumed the video, "Grand Canyon Adventure", to be an adventure-based, scenic video tour of the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River. Having never been there, I had hoped to "tour" the Canyon vicariously via this BD offering.

Sadly, it was nothing of the sort, being instead an environmentalist's message about dwindling water levels of the river itself. This was the theme of the entire video... a message about choices of water usage.

While there were several very nice shots of parts of the canyon, they were presented with a message, which detracted from the desired 'adventure' theme. I guess I should have been a more critical reader of the reviews before purchasing the video.

In conclusion, if you are interested in viewing/learning of opinions about the current "health" of the river, i.e. water levels and flow, then this video may be just right for you. On the other hand, if you are looking for a nicely done tour of the canyon or of the river, as I was, then you'll want to look elsewhere.