Review #2: Blackfish

Blackfish

Release Date: January 19th, 2013
Writer: Gabriela Cowperthwaite, Eli Despres, Tim Zimmermann
Director: Gabriela Cowperthwaite

Logline: This documentary explores how long-held misconceptions and harmful living conditions may be causing orca whales to lash out violently toward their trainers. Several cases of death and mutilation are researched, leading to some uncomfortable questions about how we choose to keep and display these large and very intelligent animals. (Source: IMDb) (Documentary, 83 min)
Bechdel Test: N/A: Documentary

Review

This much discussed film might be the biggest documentary sensation I've ever seen explode in popular culture. Viewers of the movie are left salivating for justice, hoping boycotts of SeaWorld will prove the film's strong impact. As a movie that intends to draw a favored emotional response from the audience, Blackfish is wildly successful. 

This documentary explores the life of one Orca that was caught in the wild and kept in captivity for its entire adult life. The beautiful whale Tilikum is characterized as a victim of circumstance who has become a killer through no fault of its own. Former SeaWorld trainers provide the base narration for the film, sharing their experiences and retelling the stories they've heard of major orca-trainer incidents at SeaWorld and other orca training facilities. It is gut wrenching from beginning to end. 

As a movie, Blackfish is tremendously successful and would earn 5 stars. As a documentary it earns slightly less, with 4. From the very beginning, I had an issue with the sources of information that were used. Of course SeaWorld is going to have no affiliation with a documentary crew that actively wants the park to be closed, but the portrayal of SeaWorld is very calculated by the filmmakers. The company as an institution is never explored. Their intentions, the individuals who make decisions and their facilities are kept in the dark, like some sort of shady evil corporate entity. Maybe I expect too much, but when a documentary attempts to assert facts, I expect fact. Rarely were they supplied. 




The biggest source of frustration for me was a lack of information provided by the filmmakers about the interviewees. "Former Trainer" seems to translate into "Marine Biologist" even though many of these people may not have any actual scientific training besides what they learned through SeaWorld orientation. Whale facts are often spewed from the former trainers; what would make me as a viewer, assume that these facts are correct when previously in the film those same trainers asserted they were taught nothing but lies by SeaWorld?

Furthermore, trainers who were not present for incidents that the documentary explored were asked to narrate the footage. Several times when an Orca incident is being discussed one of these former trainers will state they were not present, but will go on to describe the intentions and emotions of the trainers and whales involved. Interestingly, one former trainer refuses to discuss incidences he was not present for and claims he doesn't know if the facts provided by SeaWorld are correct or incorrect. Despite his honesty, he is portrayed as a brainwashed trainer who is protecting SeaWorld. The interviews were cherry picked to illustrate a clear line in the sand; good guys and bad guys. As is often the case in real life, I don't think reality is so clear cut. 

Despite requiring a critical eye, I don't disagree with the message of Blackfish. It's difficult for any animal lover to walk away and not feel deeply for these creatures. The vague call to action at the end of the film has left many fans unsure of what the next step of action is. Boycott SeaWorld? Captive whales cannot simply be expected to survive in the wild, but decreased demand could potentially limit the future demand for captive bred animals. The speculative nature of zoos and aquariums and the recent collective efforts of those facilities to refocus on conservation, education, and rehabilitation cannot be ignored. Fortunately the film reports that trainers are no longer allowed to interact in the water with the whales. Tilikum, what are we going to do with you?


Portrayal of Women: There are an equal number of men and women experts interviewed. Dawn, the trainer who inspired this movie, is portrayed as being one of the most experienced and most respected trainers at SeaWorld at the time of her death.

Sisterhood moment: This movie has no cuddly feel good moments. It's quite tragic that a woman who was passionate about her career passed away as a direct result of the animals she had such a deep love for.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

IMDB - Blackfish (8.1)
Wikipedia - Blackfish
Rotten Tomatoes - Blackfish (98%)