"Whalefall" is a Lot Deeper Than You'd Think
The New Oxford American Dictionary defines "phobia" as "an extreme or irrational fear." However, you could argue that Thalassophobia, or fear of the ocean is completely rational. Despite exploring it for hundreds of years, humanity has visually explored less than 0.001% of the deep ocean according to NOAA. Covering the majority of our globe, the ocean is a vast blue abyss with danger looking around every corner, and it only gets more sinister the deeper you go. For those who suffer from this fear, their biggest nightmares just came true in the form of Brian Duffeld's new thriller, Whalefall. A film that masquerades as a popcorn flick while offering a message about grief that dives just as deep as the whale itself.
Whalefall is a survivor thriller film about Jay Gardiner (Austin Abrams), a young man home from college dealing with the death of his late father, Mitt, (Josh Brolin) who committed suicide at sea a year prior. In a desperate effort to locate his father's remains, he is caught in an underwater battle between a giant squid and a sperm whale that ends with Jay literally in the belly of one of the ocean's most formidable predators. The film is structured as half Jay's struggle for survival and half flashbacks of him and his father's complicated relationship.
The relationship between Austin Abrams and Josh Brolin's characters is the heart and soul of this film, and for the most part they have great chemistry. However, they are given some very clunky, elementary dialogue with virtually no subtlety. The best way I can describe the screenplay is "good...for a high schooler." Unfortunately, there was more than one moment in the theater where I had to stifle a laugh. But what Whalefall lacks in eloquence it makes up for in sheer brutality.
The physicality Austin Abrams brings to the role of Jay Gardiner is nothing short of astounding. After the successes of Weapons and Resident Evil, Abrams is gaining a reputation for playing characters in the most horrifying situations possible...and he's great at it. While inside the whale, Jay gets hurt in ways I never thought possible and the perils he goes through are as creative as they were spine-chilling. There were several occasions in the theater where I was forcing myself not to turn away out of sheer terror or disgust. Whalefall is a deceptively difficult watch, unafraid to get really gory and disgusting, which I can't help but respect the hell out of.
Major props are in order for production designer, Ramsey Avery who was able to not only make a practical set look like the anatomy of a Sperm Whale, but create a palpable sense of claustrophobia. Another one of Whalefall's biggest surprises was the cinematography by Aaron Morton that I simply can't describe as anything less than breathtaking, especially in the film's third act. The beautiful underwater shots of the ocean paired with Joseph Trapanese's score makes for a truly unforgettable theater going experience.
When I first saw the trailer for Whalefall last month, I had the same reaction I can assume everyone else did: "wow, that looks stupid. When can I see it?!" As a childhood zoology nerd, I've always been fascinated with films that take place in the ocean and I eagerly awaited the arrival of Brian Duffield's newest project. I was at my local Massachusetts AMC for the premieres of both The Shallows and 47 Meters Down, and I didn't expect Whalefall to stray far from that category of films. Judging by the promotions and trailers, I never could've expected how subversive and impressive this film is, and I can't help but feel like that was intentional...
Men's mental health has been a growing topic in the American zeitgeist in the past few years. The problem is, so many still don't want to talk about their struggles for fear of being judged, one of the most common struggles being grief. On the surface, Whalefall is a movie about a man getting swallowed by a giant sea creature, but it's actually a story about grief; The grief of a character who refuses to confront his inner turmoil until he is literally on death's door. I firmly believe that the marketing team behind Whalefall dumbed the film down in the promotional material to lure in audience members craving a brainless action movie, only to show them a tale that forces them to confront their own inner turmoil. In a way, I can't help but feel l like this film is providing a much needed service to audience members who have been suffering in silence with their own grief.
I went into Whalefall expecting a stupid good time of the movies, but this film is truly worth its (sea) salt. It is the kind of movie that demands to be seen on the biggest screen possible, which I would recommend for your upcoming weekend plans. This past month has been a career high for Austin Abrams and I can't wait to see him get put in even more nightmarish scenarios on the big screen.
