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A little known fact about me – I wanted to be a marine biologist. There were only a couple of problems with my plan. 1) I lived in Northeast Ohio, and 2) I really hate being in deep water. When I was young, I went to Sea World Ohio and absolutely fell in love with dolphins and marine life in general. I dreamed of swimming with the dolphins, but more than just swimming with them, I also wanted to communicate with them. When I heard about DisneyNature Dolphin Reef was coming out in 2018, I was so excited.

However, my excitement soon turned to extreme sadness. The movie was released in 2018 in France under the title of Blue, but right before the movie was set to open in the United States, it was pulled from the schedule. I mean, I looked about a week before and it was on the movie theater schedule, and then days later, it was gone.

Disney Teases Audience With Plans of Dolphin Release

Guys! For Real!!!! Not only were my dreams dashed as a young adult, but now I would not get the pleasure of living vicariously through the DisneyNature Dolphin movie. 

When Disney announced that the Dolphin movie would be coming to Disney+, I once again was excited and couldn’t wait. And then once again, my hopes were dashed when Disney+ failed to deliver. Earlier this week, I saw that Disney announced that DisneyNature Dolphin Reef would be showing up on the streaming service on April 3. Did I dare hold my breath once again waiting for this movie? And since it had gotten such bad reviews in France, would it fail to entertain and inspire?

What is DisneyNature Dolphin Reef?

DisneyNature Dolphin Reef follows the life of Echo, a  bottlenose dolphin (and oh so cute) and the inhabitants of the coral reef. Natalie Portman narrates this tale of survival and community that is both relaxing to watch and has you at the edge of your seat at other moments. 

The film’s stars are the animals living within the coral reef. Echo is three years old. His mom, Kumu, is now ready to show him how to catch his food and survive in the big blue ocean. While we watch Echo learn about the dangers of ocean life, we get to meet a humpback whale and her baby, and encounter orcas on the hunt. 

The Positive Aspects of DisneyNature Dolphin Reef

Let me start by telling you that this movie is absolutely beautiful. From the coral reef, the deep dark ocean floor, and the views of the islands above, this ocean documentary is stunning to watch. 

Furthermore, DisneyNature Dolphin Reef is pleasant to watch. There are moments that I was mesmerized by the soft hues of the ocean, the gentle rhythm of the waves, and the majestic beauty of the dolphins swimming in formation.

Moments later, I was literally sitting on the edge of my seat when the “killer whales” were on the hunt. Would the baby humpback whale become prey to the orcas? Would Echo be lost and eaten by the predator? 

The Negative Aspects of Dolphin Reef

While there are very few negatives in this film. However, there were moments that were slow-moving which may cause some children to lose interest.

VIEWING RECOMMENDATIONS 

So should you watch DisneyNature Dolphin Reef? Absolutely! Not only was a drawn into the story of Echo and his mom, but also the storyline of the baby humpback whale and how the humpback whales protect each other. 

Additionally, this is an intriguing learning experience for old and young. Should you watch this film? Your children will not only be learning but also enjoy exploring under the sea. Finding out how the parrotfish contributes to the ecosystem is just one amazing fact that our family learned tonight. However, I am not sure that I can ever look at sand the same way again. (Don’t google this to find out the answer. Just watch the movie and be fascinated by the knowledge and truths of the deep blue sea).

Finally, watching this movie renewed my interest in becoming a marine biologist. Who knows! Maybe I will take a class and learn more about ocean life and the amazing life under the sea. But probably, I will just put swimming with the dolphins on my bucket list!