Clocking in at just 47 minutes, Aliens of the Deep is a briskly paced record of a twofold mission in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Cameron and a team of marine biologists, seismologists, and astro-biologists navigate bubble-like submersibles to ocean depths reaching 3,000 feet. Here, they discover a bizarre array of creatures that survive by "chemosynthesis," rather than photosynthesis. These strangely beautiful beings, like a spectral jellyfish-type creature that undulates with balletic grace, somehow live in this sunlight-free eco-system of alternately freezing and boiling temperatures. So while the marine biologists study these amazing creatures, the astro-biologists regard the ocean floor as the closest thing we have on Earth to "outer space." Specifically, they hypothesize that Jupiter's moon Europa may contain a vast ocean beneath three to 16 miles of ice. But before NASA can send its proposed robot probe towards Europa and Jupiter's other moons, the astro-biologists hope to compile more data about the world beneath the sea.

Using state-of-the-art visual effects, Cameron and co-director Steven Quale bring the frozen world of Europa to vivid life for the team's encounter with aliens in a scene reminiscent of Cameron's The Abyss. Thankfully, it's the only flight of outright fantasy in Aliens of the Deep, which otherwise focuses on the wondrous reality of the Earth's oceans—and the secrets they may hold about the planet's origin. Cameron and Quale do an excellent job of capturing the sheer excitement of the team's undersea expedition to depths where no human has literally gone before. For anyone who grew up watching the Jacques Costeau television specials, Aliens of the Deep will evoke fond memories of the French oceanographer's eye-popping documentaries.

DVD DETAILS
Armchair mariners will definitely want to watch the DVD's extended version of Aliens of the Deep, which adds 52 minutes of footage. A lot of this footage reveals the extreme risks and setbacks Cameron and the team faced, which range from mechanical difficulties to water temperatures of 750 degrees—hot enough to melt a submersible window.