Chasing Coral

Chasing Coral, in Australia on Netflix, and in the US on Netflix, earns the access it was given and does something with it. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. With 131 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Worth watching in order, from the beginning — the cumulative effect is the point. Start it on Netflix whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

There is a reason Chasing Coral keeps coming up in conversation. Chasing Coral approaches its subject with the rigour that makes documentary storytelling worth taking seriously. Coral reefs are the nursery for all life in the oceans, a remarkable ecosystem that sustains us. Yet with carbon emissions warming the seas, a phenomenon called "coral bleaching" -- a sign of mass coral death -- has been accelerating around the world, and the public has no idea of the scale or implication of the catastrophe silently raging underwater. Andrew Ackerman and Pim Bongaerts bring credibility that the subject matter deserves. It was released in 2017. Documentary work at this level requires access that is hard to get and storytelling that does justice to it — Chasing Coral has both. It rarely drops the ball, and when it does, it recovers fast.

For viewers who want their entertainment to leave them with something, Chasing Coral delivers on both counts. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. Short enough to finish in one sitting, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Andrew Ackerman's involvement signals a level of access and cooperation that is hard to secure. The kind of documentary that makes you feel informed rather than manipulated.

Chasing Coral was released in 2017, directed by Jeff Orlowski. The full 93-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.