A trawler’s net being dragged along the seabed, obliterating everything in its path. I’ve worked at sea and have a decent enough idea of how different fishing methods work—but actually seeing it from a first-person perspective is shocking. This single scene captures the essence of Ocean with David Attenborough: we need to change how we exploit the oceans.
This remarkable film shows the impact humanity has had on the oceans, why it matters, and—crucially—why there’s still room for hope. Ocean is very different from the marquee natural history productions Attenborough normally lends his voice to. It still features stunning footage of marine life, but the real focus is on giant factory ships prowling the Antarctic, pollution, climate change, and bleached coral reefs.
The film serves both as a retrospective of Sir David’s long career—its release coinciding with his 99th birthday—and as a thoughtful warning that time is running out. His long life allows for personal observations of the decline in ocean habitats and marine life.
The message is delivered perfectly. It’s not radical, accusatory, or bleak. It shows that change can happen: the moratorium on commercial whaling is used as a paradigm of how we can shift course to preserve marine life.
Overfishing is a particular target of the film, but even then it is examined with care and thoughtfulness. The solution proposed is not to ban fishing entirely, but to expand protected areas and no-take zones. The oceans are—and must remain—a source of food for billions of people.
The film seems to have had an immediate impact: the UK government has recently proposed a wider ban on bottom trawling.
Unusually for a wildlife documentary, Ocean received a widespread theatrical release and set records at the box office. It opened to £573,551 in the UK and Ireland, making it the highest-grossing opening for a nature documentary on record.
Its release was also well timed as a prelude to the 2025 UN Ocean Conference, currently taking place in Nice, France. Let’s just hope all the attendees have seen this film.
– Ocean with David Attenborough is available to stream now on Disney+
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