Review of Blackfish (2013) by Alex N — 17 Feb 2014

The Truth Not Only Hurts, It Kills...

Blackfish: An Impassioned Documentary.

Creating a captivating yet informative documentary is not a simple task; let me tell you. The directors risk yielding something that airs on the side of unbelievable and far-fetched, or perhaps worse... oh-so boring. Gabriela Cowperthwaite, writer and director of Blackfish, does an excellent job of both educating and tugging on the heartstrings of her audience by uncovering the truth about the capture and containment of killer whales, primarily at SeaWorld marine parks.

The film focuses on Tilikum, a 12,000-pound male orca who has been responsible for the tragic deaths of three individuals throughout his 40-year lifespan, most recently, an unwarranted attack on senior trainer Dawn Brancheau in 2010. The film also reveals numerous other incidents caused by these killer whales, many of which were kept hidden from SeaWorld trainers, as well as the general public. After initially hearing this news one might think, "what a horrifying creature." On the contrary, Blackfish makes us feel just the opposite.

Cowperthwaite uses a clever combination of stunning cinematography, animated SeaWorld vs. OSHA court cases, and heart-wrenching interviews with former SeaWorld trainers to disclose marine parks, like SeaWorld, as the obvious villain. Blackfish successfully refutes the notion of keeping the whales in captivity by exposing the cold hard truth about just how much these emotionally intelligent animals endure. For instance, nearly all performance whales are withheld food until they cooperate and many spend more than two-thirds of their already-shortened lives in 20 by 30 foot dark, steel boxes. Cowperthwaite concludes that the frustration, boredom and psychological distress of being held in captivity leave them no choice but to act out.

The director also takes advantage of uncovered raw footage that shows in gruesome detail the harm caused to both the trainers and the orcas while in confinement. Rakes, or teeth marks from other whales, collapsed dorsal fins and fractured bones can be found on many of these performance whales. Perhaps as a result, more than 3 deaths and nearly 80 injuries to experienced trainers have been recorded since marine mammal parks first began working with killer whales in the 1960s.

If that doesn't draw you in, the use of interviews throughout the film is especially effective as former SeaWorld trainers recount their ignorance, embarrassment and regret towards working with these animals. Blackfish also incorporates an interview with a man who was, in part, responsible for the capturing of Tilikum in the 1970s. The teary-eyed man recalls the anguished cries of the mother whales, as their young were being what he could only describe as "kidnapped" from them. "It was the most horrible thing I have ever done," he utters.

Needless to say, Blackfish is a truly riveting documentary. Prepare yourself for breathtaking imagery, some heartbreaking testimonies - and trust me, don't forget the Kleenex box.