Nick Messinger

I've been putting off seeing this movie for some time having surfaced right under an octopus which attached itself to the top of my head and face - off Malta! To say I was spooked is an understatement - but decades later, I steeled myself to enter an underwater cave off the Turkish coast with my Son, which was inhabited by an octopus..... Now to the movie, which I watched last evening:- Magnificent underwater photography - that kelp forest on the South African coast is an area I've sailed past numerous times but never imagined just how dense it really was. Amazing. The predatory Pyjama Sharks, generally only about 31 inches long - apart from the Nursehounds, which can measure up to about 5 feet, provided an element of permanent danger and drama. The storyline was interesting - but I have no experience of mental illness such as depression - but I can see that a close relationship with any animal could provide a calming, healing influence. The octopus herself has greatly enhanced my esteem for the creatures - especially her tenacity and courage. The scene of their final physical contact was deeply moving and reduced me to tears. As for the ending - inevitable as the creatures have such a relatively short lifespan - was beautifully filmed and narrated. All in all - a wonderful, thought provoking, intelligent film.

Uncomfortable viewing for many? Undoubtedly .... Fine performances Thought provoking ..... Beautifully filmed.