Blackfish (2013) – Encore Review 2

“We don’t speak Whale.” – Whoopie Goldberg

Number of Times Seen – 3 (13 Sep 2013, 9 Feb 2014 and 30 May 2016)

Link to original review – Here and Here

Brief Synopsis – A documentary about the captivity of Killer Whales for entertainment and the dangers it poses to both the animals and humans.

My Take on it – This is one of the first documentaries that I saw and reviewed and it is now among my favorites in the genre.

It is a prime example of how a documentary done right can affect change in the world because this movie has caused many people to boycott SeaWorld and similar parks due to their treatment of the animals there especially Killer Whales.

This film shows footage of how Killer whales were captured, their treatment once they are “safely” in the “care” of these corporate water parks and their use for entertainment purposes.

The whole thing is actually quite scary and abhorrent that people would willingly endanger others for the sake of money.

The interviews with many former Killer Whale trainers and eyewitnesses to dangerous attacks by these creatures adds a deeper level to the whole story.

This movie is somewhat one-sided, but it would be pretty hard for the other side to give a compelling case as to why things should be done differently.

I first saw this movie two and a half years ago and the message of it all is so powerful that I quite often think about it and am constantly amazed how little was done before this film was made by SeaWorld to try and avoid the near-fatal and fatal accidents that have occurred over the years.

I still think this film was robbed of an Oscar Best Documentary nomination, but the effect that it has had on the industry speaks enough for itself.

Bottom Line – Scary how this movie shows us what has happened over the last 40 years that Killer Whales have been captured and used for entertainment purposes in the US and affiliated water parks. Very one sided, but the other side would be hard to justify after all that has happened. Prime example of a documentary being able to make changes in the world by highlighting a problem. Amazingly done! Highly Recommended!

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia –  Jurassic World director Colin Treverrow told Empire Magazine that Blackfish was a big influence on the movie. The behavior of the captive Indominus Rex, was based on Tilikum’s behavior in captivity. (From IMDB)

Rating – Oscar Worthy (no change from original review)

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