At the intersection of spellbinding visuals and a sobering reality, Matthieu Rytz’s Deep Rising plunges viewers into the untouched depths of the ocean’s abyssal plain and the race to exploit the vast mineral riches found there — the cobalt and nickel needed to build rechargeable batteries for everything from phones to cars.This breathtaking documentary probes the potential ecological disaster under the seas that is about to overtake us as powerful companies lower monstrous machines into the deep, some capable of scooping up 90 tons of the precious mineral per hour.Jason Momoa’s resonant narration guides us through ethereal, dreamlike sequences of marine life that evoke the beauty and fragility of our planet’s last frontier. The awe is fleeting. In the next frame, the camera shifts to corporate boardrooms, blurred out faces in congressional hearings, and tense investor meetings where the fate of the ocean’s deep ecosystem with its rich mineral resources will be decided. This alternation of contrasting worlds paints a picture of our planet at a pivotal crossroads.Director Matthieu Ritz, a visual anthropologist by training, brings an exquisite visual sensibility to Deep Rising, while editor Elisa Bonora weaves the two strands of the story into a fast-paced, seamless whole supported by Icelandic composer Olafur Arnalds’ stylistically wide ranging instrumental score.Deep Rising is not just a film—it is a wake-up call, underscored by its juxtaposition of natural beautyagainst the backdrop of relentless economic forces and human needs. It is a must-see for anyone wondering where the lines between technological progress, environmental ethics, and survival of Earth’s most secretive realms intersect.Executive producer and narrator Jason Momoa, synonymous with oceanic activism, lends the documentary an impassioned voice. As Aquaman, he may have fictional reign over the seven seas, but in this real-world crisis, his commanding presence signals an urgent SOS. Nicole Guillemet