Sea Monsters 3D (45 minutes, PG)
Sea Monsters 3D brings to life the extraordinary marine reptiles of the dinosaur age on the big screen. From the giraffe-necked Styxosaurus and 20-foot “bulldog” fish Xiphactinus to the T-Rex of the ocean — the 40-foot super-predator Tylosaurus — these wondrous beasts defy imagination.
The film, narrated by Tony Award-winning actor Liev Schreiber and with an original score by Peter Gabriel, takes audiences on a remarkable journey into the relatively unexplored world of the other dinosaurs, those reptiles that lived beneath the water.
The Cretaceous world was very different from the Earth we know. Eighty million years ago, places such as Kansas were at the bottom of a great inland sea that divided North America in two. A warmer climate meant more of the globe was submerged — Europe was just a smattering of islands, much of Asia was underwater and a shallow ocean engulfed nearly all of Australia. On this sodden sphere, cold-blooded seagoing reptiles flourished, and as these ocean giants died, their skeletons were left in locations that are now high and dry.
Sea Monsters 3D: A Prehistoric Adventure, weaves together spectacular photorealistic animation with standout finds from palaeontology digs around the world — treasures that shed light on the film’s incredible cast of characters. The film follows a family of Dolichorhynchops, also known informally as “Dollies,” as they traverse ancient waters populated with saber-toothed fish, prehistoric sharks and giant squid. On their journey the Dollies encounter other extraordinary sea creatures: lizard-like reptiles called Platecarpus that swallowed their prey whole like snakes; Styxosaurus with necks nearly 20 feet long and paddle-like fins as large as an adult human; and at the top of the food chain, the monstrous Tylosaurus, a predator with no enemies.
From fossil digs to larger-than-life visions of predatory chases in shallow seas, the film immerses audiences in a rarely explored environment during the dinosaur age. Merging ultra-high-resolution 3-D graphics with National Geographic’s trademark authenticity, compelling imagery and powerful storytelling, the film is a perfect combination of subject and medium: ancient leviathans of the deep brought to life in the world’s biggest film format.
