Review of Orca (1977) by Miyagi H — 22 Mar 2014
It is many years since I had seen this film so I purchased it a month or so ago and rewatched it.
This film is one of the few mainstream Hollywood films I have seen which tried to really engage with the intelligence of these amazing creatures. The killing of this whale's mate is seen much as we would interpret the death of a human being.
And on a certain level, why not. These creatures display high intelligence and strong emotional attachments that are very close to human relationships.
Yes, this film does spend a lot of time on tugging the heart strings. Yes, this film does depend on references to Jaws and Moby Dick.
Nevertheless overall, it is an intelligent and powerful portrayal of an ongoing issue. And this is a matter of life and death for humans as well. If we don't come to terms with our relationship with our fellow inhabitants on this planet, it is likely to be the death of us.
This review of Orca (1977) was written by Miyagi H on 22 Mar 2014.
Orca has generally received mixed reviews.
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