Deepsea Challenge 3D 2014

Sara Stewart, New York Post: On the whole, the film would probably be more at home on cable and at a reduced running time. Read more

Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: This enthralling documentary, with a few brief moments of fictional re-creation, was made in conjunction with National Geographic Entertainment. Read more

Scott Foundas, Variety: While watching Cameron get in touch with his inner Jacques Cousteau won't be to everyone's taste, fans of the director and oceanography gearheads should swoon to the immersive, visually spectacular images of the ocean floor. Read more

David Ehrlich, AV Club: In many ways the perfect summation of [Cameron's] ultimate purpose as both a person and a filmmaker. Read more

Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor: Although he didn't encounter anything other than barrenness, he did bring back to the surface 100 new species of microorganisms. I hope National Geographic appreciates the effort. Read more

John DeFore, Hollywood Reporter: If 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. Read more

Martin Tsai, Los Angeles Times: The film seems to gloss over meaningful logistics of the expedition - such as funding, design and assemblage of the bathyscaphe Deepsea Challenger - as well as the scientific discoveries made from the specimens it collected. Read more

Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger: In the end, the movie seems to be as much about James Cameron as anything else. Read more

Mark Jenkins, NPR: This movie is meant for the ... audience that's already jazzed about exploring the bottom of the seas. Read more

Jordan Hoffman, New York Daily News: The world's most expensive home movie. Read more

Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times: James Cameron upstages the ocean in "Deepsea Challenge 3D," a shallow vanity project that invites us to join him in marveling at his own daring. Read more

Alonso Duralde, TheWrap: Adjust your documentary-watching gauge closer to Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom and further away from "Werner Herzog discovers one of the last unspoiled places left on earth," and you'll have a perfectly enjoyable time. Read more

Scott Bowles, USA Today: Film lovers will see how Cameron not only came up with ideas like The Abyss and Titanic, but how his drive turns obsession into commercial movies, usually very profitable ones. Read more

Simon Abrams, Village Voice: Deepsea Challenge has too little interest in anything that's not Cameron's personal experience. Read more

Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post: The film pays scant attention to [its] stated goal, relegating the discoveries achieved by Cameron's mission to a brief on-screen title at the very end of the film. Read more