Review of In the Heart of the Sea (2015) by Herman73Trio — 26 Jan 2016

This movie is one of the most I personally anticipated this year.The reason is that my curiosity of what exactly happened to whale ship Essex.The other reason is Ron Howard,he is one of the most highly respected movie director.

Back in 1980's era i've seen the movie "Cocoon" and in 1991 "Backdraft". I really impressed by Backdraft cause the way the director describe the fire is like a living persons that breath and ready to burn and destroy everything.

That fire also can be a very dangerous weapon.Guess all the moviegoers must remember The Da Vinci Code. The thing that I saw in Backdraft is recurred again in Ron Howard's new movie. Set back in 1820 when the Essex whale ship's voyage must face the deadly assault by a 90 feet sperm whale.

This movie stars based the storytelling by Tom Nickerson-the only ex crew of Essex that still alive- to a novel writer Herman Melville.A young novelist that have this ambition to write one of the most spectacular fiction adventure novel ever written.

A whale ship that sail under the navigation of Captain Pollard (Benjamin Walker)-a captain by ancestry and off course lack of experience- assist by Owen Chase (Chris Hemsworth)1st Class Sailor-who also reluctantly but have no choice but to accept this task by the owner of Essex ship.

Takes a very short time for this 2 character involved in psychological war between them.At first Essex managed to catch a whale, but after a few months of traveling, where food stocks thinning finally Chase and Pollard decided to divert the direction of the ship towards the path of tropical waters of the Pacific-after hearing the story of a Ship Captain Spain who survived the attack from 90 feet white whale.

However, both Chase and Pollard ignored the warning from the Spanish Captain. A decision based on ambition and greed which then carry Essex into a catastrophe. they only imagine hundreds of whales on display in front of the eyes waiting to be hunted and brought home 2000 gallons of whale oil.

And then, Essex was brutally attacked by a whale with a size that was never imagined by them. Essex ship was sinking to the bottom of the Pacific ocean. And crew who survived the attack separated into three boats had to live in the shadow of a very painful death.

Stranded in tropical oceans where sunlight stings during daytime as whole body skin burns. In the course to survive, all the crew had to face moral dilemmas by do the abomination or die slowly in pain.

Once again Ron Howard managed to do what he's really excel,the whale that destroyed the Essex described not only as a ferocious monster but as a god of the ocean, the whale protectors of human greed. Internal conflicts between cockiness Pollard as the ship's captain and Chase as a seaman 1st class who is an expert in calculating weather and sharper instincts.

A little unfortunate that this film only lasted 2 hours which I think is not enough time for Ron Howard to explore the burden of the old Tom Nickerson who have to live for decades with terrible memories.

Also not enough time to explore the mental burden of the young novelist Melville (Whisaw). And looks like Ron Howard strive very hard to share a story segment. Even if the film is not a masterpiece but I feel satisfaction in watching this movie.

Even if all the actors act well, but it is the whale measured 90 feet that steal the show.Whale is described as being so characterized, the authority that gives lessons so valuable that a knowledge sometimes requires sacrifice so heartbreaking.

Ambitions that humans will someday be stopped by the might of the children of nature.