I went into "Orca" expecting a "Jaws" inspired eco-horror flick, and left feeling bummed and jaded. Not bummed because the film was bad, bummed because it is VERY intense and grim. Sort of like Moby Dick in reverse, a captain accidentally kills a whale he is trying to capture's mate, who he then finds out was pregnant. I won't spoil it, but the "discovering she was pregnant" scene definitely caught me off guard and made me a little uneasy. The father whale, who is hyper intelligent and heartbroken then decides to take any measures he needs to kill the man responsible.
This film goes into a lot of depth on the intelligence of animals, and the role we as humans play in our co-existence. The male orca is highly characterized, and it is extremely difficult to decide who to "root" for. To make things even more depressing, we learn that the captain's own family was killed by a drunk driver, so he feels he did the same to this whale. The score by Maestro Morricone fits well, and adds to the somber and atmospheric tone. The whole film is foggy and icy, and the characters are surprisingly in depth and accessible.
While "Orca" is not without faults, it is actually quite a powerful watch that I'm still thinking about. Obviously, the whole story is pretty far fetched, but while watching it this didn't bother me. The final minutes once reaching the polar region are especially memorable, and although this is a BOLD statement (from a big fan at that), this movie has moments that rival "Jaws". Highly recommended viewing.
This film goes into a lot of depth on the intelligence of animals, and the role we as humans play in our co-existence. The male orca is highly characterized, and it is extremely difficult to decide who to "root" for. To make things even more depressing, we learn that the captain's own family was killed by a drunk driver, so he feels he did the same to this whale. The score by Maestro Morricone fits well, and adds to the somber and atmospheric tone. The whole film is foggy and icy, and the characters are surprisingly in depth and accessible.
While "Orca" is not without faults, it is actually quite a powerful watch that I'm still thinking about. Obviously, the whole story is pretty far fetched, but while watching it this didn't bother me. The final minutes once reaching the polar region are especially memorable, and although this is a BOLD statement (from a big fan at that), this movie has moments that rival "Jaws". Highly recommended viewing.