agmtw logo
search
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

Great documentary but there are some flaws because SeaWorld didn’t collect an orca in the wild for 35 years, stop separating calves from their mothers, and the orca Tilikum killed three people probably because he didn’t recover from his trauma at Sealand of the Pacific when he was at SeaWorld.

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.

Add a comment

Your name

Your comment

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

Once Were Warriors (1994)

A Maori family survives in an alienating Auckland in this raw, tragic drama

8.0

My Old Ass (2024)

A pleasant mix of comedy and coming-of-age that may or may not leave you in tears

8.0

Silenced (2011)

A brutal and harrowing exposé of the schoolwide abuse case that sparked outrage in Korea

9.0

The Substance (2024)

Demi Moore swaps bodies in this standout chaotic body dysmorphia horror

8.3

Don’t Let Them Shoot the Kite (1989)

A child inspires camaraderie despite imprisonment in this moving classic drama

8.3

Look Back (2024)

Art connects people through time and space in this short and sweet drama

9.0

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)

A star-studded and riveting legal drama with a blockbuster feel.

8.1

We Live in Time (2024)

A fullhearted non-linear romantic drama that reminds us to cherish time together

7.3

The Guilty (2018)

A minimalist, razor-sharp thriller that will have you gasping for air.

9.0

My King (2015)

A lover heals her knee and her heart in this contemplative drama about co-dependency

7.0

Curated by humans, not algorithms.

agmtw logo

© 2024 agoodmovietowatch, all rights reserved.