I have loved the ocean all my life. When Free Willy came out in 1993, I fell head over heels in love with these amazing Orcas (also known as Killer Whales.) When I saw an article about a new Orca documentary called Blackfish that was really getting under the skin of Sea World, I knew I had to see it!
The documentary mostly follows the history of Tilikum, a male Orca weighing over 12,000 pounds. He is the largest whale in captivity to date and has been linked to at least 3 people’s deaths. Directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, this documentary is a highly critical look at the treatment of Orcas at Sea World parks over the years. It starts with him being captured as a young Orca, his journey to different parks, the attacks that have happened over the years and most especially, his part in the death of trainer Dawn Brancheau who was killed during a 2010 show at Sea World.
It was a very powerful documentary. I considered myself to be pretty knowledgeable on the subject of Orcas. After watching this documentary, I realized just how little I actually knew. I thought this would be a documentary where the director shoved a microphone and camera in people’s faces and accused them of their crimes…but I was wrong. There is no “hounding people”, no “stalking” or rushing up to people to get the story. It is told mostly from the point of view of 4 former Sea World trainers, other interviews and never before seen footage. I don’t recall hearing the director’s voice at all.
I think it is hard for me to give this a “number” rating so I think I will give it a letter…an A! I never felt like this was Cowperthwaite’s view of things, I felt like she was very impartial but wanted to bring light to this subject. Sea World seems to have gotten away with a lot in the past and she wanted to make sure people saw the truth. In the end, I feel most sorry for the victims and for Tilikum, not Sea World. I was impressed with how tactful it was in regards to the trainer who lost her life. There was nothing disrespectful in it at all except for the fact that Sea World blamed her for her death and not Tilikum. As a matter of fact, I left the theater feeling ashamed that I had gone to Sea World San Diego last year.
I don’t think for a second that I would consider taking anyone under the age of 16 to see this film. There are some very violent images and even a few Orca attacks that were caught on film. This along with stories from the trainers & victims might prove to be too much for a younger audience. I had more than a few moments where both my friend and I gasped out loud at either footage or interviews. If you are a fan of documentaries, I say go see it. I don’t feel it “needs” to be seen on a large screen but I’m certainly glad I did.
(My heart goes out to the friends & family of Dawn Brancheau and for all of those who have been lost or injured due to marine animal attacks.)
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