Though it came and went more than five years ago, the impact felt from Hurricane Katrina has remained in the hearts and minds of many American citizens. While it stands as the costliest natural disaster in our country's history, most of the storm's damage couldn't exactly be measured in dollars. Some people forget that nearly 2,000 residents died in the hurricane's wake, or that thousands are still living in temporary housing. More than anything else, though, people remember the looting, the violence, the cries for help and the government's sluggish relief efforts. We can admit that many citizens brought a portion of this tragedy upon themselves by stubbornly remaining in their homes as the storm approached, but one thing's for sure: parts of New Orleans were already disaster zones long before August of 2005.

Assembled by filmmakers Elizabeth Wood and Gabriel Nussbaum, Wade in the Water, Children (2007) is a raw and unflinching documentary that focuses on students in the violent town of Central City, New Orleans and how the storm affected their already-decaying environment. Wood and Nussbaum originally traveled to Louisiana to provide an artistic outlet for some of the city's 6th, 7th and 8th graders; in short, many were given video cameras to document how the storm impacted their lives. The students shot a combined total of roughly 300 hours of footage, and we see just a fraction of it during Wade in the Water, Children. During this rather brisk 76-minute documentary, we get to know several of these students in much greater detail---and even though many viewers won't be remotely familiar with their way of life, these students still act like average, everyday kids.

Still, Wade in the Water, Children often has trouble staying on track: its intentions are clear, but there's very little context or underlying thread that ties everything together, resulting in a somewhat shallow and repetitive story. The film's most memorable scenes are undoubtedly those where we get a first-person view of the storm in action (at top)---and, of course the resulting footage of students' homes and neighborhoods. The other problem, of course, is the timing of this release: it's been five years since the event and three since the film's apparent completion, and such a delay can't help but lessen its overall impact. Don't get me wrong: Wade in the Water, Children is certainly a film worth looking out for, but it may not be one you'll return to very often. The DVD package by IndiePix Films is light but well-rounded, pairing a decent technical presentation with a handful of appropriate extras. Let's take a closer look, shall we?

Presented in its original 1.78:1 aspect ratio and enhanced for 16x9 displays, Wade in the Water, Children looks good for an extremely low-budget production. Footage shot by the students is typically of lower quality due to the equipment used, exhibiting slight edge enhancement and compression issues. The film's natural color palette is also a bit drab for this reason, but it's hardly a deal-breaker. On a positive note, the majority of the student-filmed clips are window-boxed instead of cropped; this was a wise decision by the directors, as further zooming would only intensify the visual shortcomings. Overall, this is a decent transfer of challenging, limited source material and nothing less.

Likewise, the Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo mix is limited but gets the job done. Separation is notable and the dialogue is clear, rarely fighting for attention with the film's occasionally dramatic score. Like the video, this is an acceptable presentation given the circumstances. Unfortunately, no subtitles or Closed Captions are offered during the main feature or bonus material, aside from forced subtitles during muffled audio clips.

As a purely unfiltered look at young Americans in the midst of a natural disaster, Wade in the Water, Children does a fine job of sticking to its guns---but considering there were 300 hours of footage available, this documentary feels a bit shallow at times. Most viewers were well aware of New Orleans' rising poverty levels long before Katrina hit; if nothing else, it was one of the reasons why the storm affected so many citizens. A reminder of this, even from such a unique viewpoint, won't really provide any enlightenment about the city's former or current condition. IndiePix Films' one-disc DVD package offers a mild amount of support for the main feature, including a decent technical presentation and a few appropriate extras. For these reasons, interested parties should give Wade in the Water, Children a trial spin before they think about a purchase. Rent It.