Review of Blackfish (2013) by F.m. S — 10 May 2015

General synopsis: Behind the scenes of Sea World. The emotional lives of the trainers and their "Black Fish.".

Repeated Symbolism/Theme:

-Abuse/ Innocence Lost/ Death: If you have the stomach for watching puppies get kicked you may be able to tolerate the abhorrent amount of physical abuse that the whales are subjected to in this documentary. From teeth racking, to food deprivation, isolation, to being locked in storage sheds, this abusive undertone is devastating. Still, some of the most thematic emotional abuse centers on the mother orcas (in the wild and at SeaWorld) being ripped from their young calves and the screeching screams that are heard thereafter. This repeated offense was just one example of emotional innocence lost. Death was a theme not only suffered by the whales but by the dedicated trainer's who were ignorant of the history and emotional decline of the "fish" they loved.

Personal Opinion:

The only thing confusing about this documentary are the reviews. Many of the one star reviews dictate that this film is a propaganda piece. This is interesting simply for the fact that it is mainly centered around eye witness testimonies of "average" SeaWorld goers who happened to witness the brutality, as well as actual trainers who worked for the park first hand. It not only shows the severe mistreatment of the orca, but the horrible deaths and mutilations of trainers. There is no falsity in emotional responses of their testimonies and if telling their stories has made SeaWorld "look bad," as a result that seems to be a fair trade for the families that have lost their loved ones (human and orca alike). In all honesty, I'm appalled. I'm appalled that this institution is still alive and kicking. As a people with free will, brains, and emotional responsibilities, I'm surprised that anyone who has a beating heart would ignore this and continue to frequent the park.