Mystery of the Nile: IMAX (2005)

The Mystery of the Nile is an exciting IMAX movie similar to several other exploration titles that involve aerial surveys and canyon river whitewater rafting (for example, Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk, Grand Canyon: Hidden Secrets, and Lewis and Clark: Great Journey West). The Nile is the world's longest river and perhaps the most dangerous; no one in 4,000 years of history had previously navigated the Nile from its source (Lake Tana) to the sea (Mediterranean) until this IMAX expedition accomplished the feat. (Frankly, it seems odd to me that a self-described crew of two experts and several novices accomplished the feat at which military teams and boatloads of "experts" had failed in prior decades -- but then this is a documentary of that fact.) The story of the Nile is well told (though with a broad brush, as in most IMAX movies) with an emphasis on breathtaking vistas and spectacular scenery. The underlying message is how a team of disparate individuals pulled together to accomplish such a demanding feat and promote environmental conservation while respecting each others' differences and contributions. (One team member, a Muslim, seemed esp. significant for the connections he made with elders throughout the Muslim lands of the Nile.) This is a superb story I doubt you will want to pause before it ends. Since it is an IMAX film, try to watch it on a screen large and close enough to afford at least a 60-degree viewing angle (that is, the center third of your full range for peripheral vision). And look out for the crocodiles! 5 stars.