Blackfish (2013)

Blackfish (2013)

A revelatory documentary on the treatment of Orcas that is gripping like a thriller.

The Very Best

9.0

Movie

United States of America
English, Spanish
Documentary, Drama
2013
FEMALE DIRECTOR, GABRIELA COWPERTHWAITE
Anderson Cooper, Carol Ray, Dean Gomersall
83 min

What it's about

Notorious killer whale Tilikum is responsible for the deaths of three individuals, including a top killer whale trainer. Blackfish shows the sometimes devastating consequences of keeping such intelligent and sentient creatures in captivity.

The take

Orcas killing people? Saving whales? There was indeed a time when these issues were frontpage news and that might be the reason why this sounds like a 90s cliché to you. You might agree that this issue should be staunchly dealt with once you've watched Gabriela Cowperthwaite's 2013 documentary. Orcas still being held captive by marine parks like SeaWorld to perform stunts and to parade around swimming pools to entertain ticket-buying families. Blackfish is the story of one of them in particular: a bull Orca named Tilikum, who has killed several people as a result of their immoral imprisonment. Similar incidents tend to be covered up by the parks' operators and management. They are, however, attributable to the fact that the animals are quiet simply driven mad by the unnatural conditions they are subjected to. They are not born as killers, they are turned into them. First-hand accounts by former whale trainers and experts deliver fascinating truths about Tilikum and the species as whole, elaborating on their remarkable intelligence and social behaviors. For those unaware of this, this passionate documentary makes for a chilling watch.

Comments

A must see documentary that tells an important story. You’ll never go to an aqua show after learning about the lives of these amazing creatures.

Excellent. Riveting. I spent three of my teenage years on San Juan Island. After a while, you feel like you know the orca personally. My mom died in 1995. I’m glad she can’t see what’s happening to them now.

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