This film is mainly concerned about the health of coral reefs around the world and the danger that they face. While the film-makers' main goal is to capture the rapid degradation of reefs, they also attempt to explain how climate change is causing such destruction, primarily through coral bleaching. In addition, the film-makers interview experts and researchers who explain the role that reefs play in marine environments. Since they support biodiversity and shelter countless different species, the researchers claim that about 25% of all marine life relies on coral reefs.
Overall, the film provides poignant imagery of dead coral reefs, useful information, and shocking statistics; however, much of its run-time is occupied by dialogue and footage that is not essential. During interviews, we often learn about the film's cast-members and their reasons for studying for reefs. While this helps make the documentary feel more personal, it also makes the film longer and more unfocused than it should be. The film should have been centered around the reefs themselves, not how and why the team got its footage. Still, it is obvious that the film-makers care dearly about preserving coral reefs, and they argue that humans are not giving reefs the amount of attention they deserve. Some of the interviewees forecast that, if we do not slow the rate of coral bleaching quickly, then corals could be wiped out within 30 years. If this happens, they argue that many marine ecosystems will vanish completely, which will result in global economic consequences and resource scarcity.
