Review of In the Heart of the Sea (2015) by Axet — 23 Dec 2015

The most obvious big remake Hollywood has yet to do that I've had in mind and talked about for years is "Moby Dick". While this isn't that but a tale of the true story that inspired the writing of that epic literary classic, it's probably as close as we'll get for a while now. With Ron Howard being behind this especially classically styled epic you'd expect it solid in craftsmanship all the way round and it is.

The image is intentionally old style and looks as if it could have been shot 60 years ago, yet was made with the latest digital cameras using all the most advanced techniques going with state-of-the-art CGI of course, which looks good. The whales are realistic if not all the sun flares and water droplets. I did particularly like the unorthodox use of yellow/greens in the picture which look lousy in TV spots for the movie, but just fine on the big screen. (I started noticing about 10 years ago that CGI in movies often does not hold up on any kind of small screen even in Full HD, while the same shots look stunning in a theatre. This is a whole issue I need to get into sometime…) I've also often stated that if "Jaws" were made today it would not be nearly the classic it was because CGI would certainly ruin it. I stand by that, but here it's great. It's a much different kind of story and with whales not one shark.

Unfortunately the film drags. It just didn't involve me despite my desire for its story and subject matter. The music score for example is stale and uninspiring as is much of the latter part of the story if anything because we've seen it before too many times and there is nothing unique here driving it. I wish they made more out of the ecological aspect that's nicely touched upon and directly connects today's world.

Overall a noble effort probably lost on today's audience.