Enlarge / A computer rendering of one of the Universe’s first stars. (credit: SLAC)

Filmmaker Terrence Malick is a polarizing figure. Some find his emphasis on philosophical themes compelling, but even his Wikipedia entry notes that others “consider it pretentious and gratuitous.” Still, it’s hard not to get excited when you hear that a director of his stature has made a science-focused film about the history of the Universe. In IMAX. With Brad Pitt as narrator.

Or two films. Voyage of Time: The IMAX Experience is the shorter piece, focusing on the timeline of the Universe and life on Earth. The longer version (Voyage of Time: Life’s Journey) has Cate Blanchett doing the narration and focuses more on humanity’s place within the cosmos. We recently got a chance to see the IMAX version, and we came away with mixed feelings. While the science is solid and the visuals are absolutely stunning, the narration leaves us a little underwhelmed.

Life, the Universe, and everything

The movie starts with images of a small child exploring her town, and the narration parallels this, with the first words being “dear child.” But from there, it dives into computer simulations of the Big Bang, followed by one of the dark matter filaments that drew in matter and helped the first galaxies to form. You can have a look at one of these animations, but even a good-sized monitor doesn’t do the IMAX experience justice.