Review: Blackfish (2013) - On Blu-ray/DVD November 12th

Cast: Kim Ashdown, Samantha Berg, Dave Duffus Director: Gabriela Cowperthwaite Country: USA Genre: Documentary Official Trailer: Here Editor’s Notes: Blackfish will be released on Blu-ray and DVD November 12th. Special Features include: Commentary with Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite and Producer Manny Oteyza, The Truth About Wild Whales: Interview with Dr. Naomi Rose, and Alternatives to Captivity. The cinema expose of the year, that wasn’t really an expose for those familiar with animal welfare movements.  Animals in captivity have been the subject of many exploration documentaries and one that always comes up trumps as the most memorable is The Cove (2009).  The documentary follows the work of Richard O’Barry, the original Flipper the dolphin trainer turned animal rights activist.  When he saw the potential of the growth of the performing dolphin industry and the largely negative impact it was having on the quality of life in captivity for marine animals he began a crusade to stop the artificial impulse of support for capturing marine mammals.  He’s now banned from entering Japan by authorities for his film footage and guerrilla war tactics for interviewing and spread of the word on what’s  know as the cove.  O’Barry witnessed the mass capturing and slaughter of dolphins in an annual event by Japanese fishermen out to get good revenue for selling the dolphins on as performing animals to sea themed parks around the world.   The rest of the catch are slaughtered and sold on as mercury damaged ‘whale’ meat that’s widely sold and eaten by the Japanese public unaware of its origins.  The documentary is a fantastic but graphic watch that really serves the purpose of alerting the masses to where performing ocean mammals come from.  Blackfish is surely off the back of the success of The Cove and the global demand for revelations behind the corporate masks of Seaworld and attraction parks that keep Orca whales.

Blackfish is surely off the back of the success of The Cove and the global demand for revelations behind the corporate masks of Seaworld and attraction parks that keep Orca whales.

I should first point out that Seaworld are very much the case study for this feature and that they refused to be interviewed for the film.  After the release and it’s global following, Seaworld made a statement to the press saying that the film inaccurately represents the breeding programme they provide and gives an unfair representation of the work the trainers do with the whales.  The footage that makes up the feature doesn’t rely on editing for the recorded footage of whale attacks on trainers, which makes the imagery truly shocking.  The reasoning behind the attacks is always a combination of the trainers being too close to a large wild animal with intelligent hunting techniques.  The documentary consistently makes the point that killer whales aren’t simply huge dolphins, they are predatory animals.  To keep them in captivity is psychologically damaging, so of course their behaviour will reflect on those who make contact with them.  Researchers are interviewed giving gravity on the decision to retain whales used to swimming hundreds of miles in small tanks, close to other whales.  They defend that unnatural confinement is why no killer whale attacks have been recorded in the wild.  The science behind their behaviours in captivity is explained by scientists who are all solely against the use of Orcas for performance animals, or keeping them captive in any form.  These arguments are harrowing and unsurprising, but a huge contrast to the happy smiling attitude of the Seaworld shows that tell audiences the whales want to be there and enjoy their work.  In terms of a better balance, the documentary probably couldn’t exist in this format without the decision to build up as much evidence as possible to prevent the activist style. What makes Blackfish different from an extremist documentary style is the calm nature of the narration of the film.  Not a patronising tone is used, nor a tone of great emphasis on certain facts to highlight agenda.  This plays into the favour of director Gabriela Cowperthwaite, who is making waves but doing so in a neutral setting of entertainment.  Blackfish is indeed sensationalist, but this is the main form of entertainment value.  The marketing by Dogwoof documentary distribution after success at Sundance Film Festival is at the heart of how enjoyable sensationalising can be.  With little more than a few clips of attack footage and a stylish black and white t-shirt, the typical Seaworld family friendly whale image was given a closer inspection as word travelled on digital media platforms.  The true face of the company was in question.  How could something performed twice daily in public go so wrong?  Surely the trainers were professional marine biologists and have years of experience working closely with whales?  It’s got to be completely fool proof, otherwise why would people get in the water with predators?  Blackfish scandalously proposes that the general knowledge of the paying public is far from the truth of the industry.  Imagery and advertising you’ve been aware of for years is based on a business plan with little else in mind than sales growth.  It’s shock treatment for the masses, but in an easily digestible format, a successful film in those terms.

Blackfish scandalously proposes that the general knowledge of the paying public is far from the truth of the industry.  Imagery and advertising you’ve been aware of for years is based on a business plan with little else in mind than sales growth.  It’s shock treatment for the masses, but in an easily digestible format, a successful film in those terms.

The tragedy involved with the trainers is explored historically with great detail.  The main draw of the film is of course highlighted as need to know information and the cruel desire to witness atrocity and mistakes being made.  This is a very social involvement with the content of the feature, as sadistic as they may seem after taking a moment to think about it carefully.  People got talking on the issues raised by the film, quickly and with anger in their voices.  Rightly so in terms of the events portrayed and there’s nothing more exciting than stirring the masses to take arms against socially accepted injustices delivered by a corporation with no seeming remorse.  Seaworld are demonised as such.  How could they be in knowledge of attacks and still keep killer whales for performance?  The state ruled that, after one very horrible attack that resulted in the immediate death of a trainer, staff must remain behind a barrier at all times when working with the whales.  Seaworld are still legally disputing this ruling and are using Tilikum, the whale in question for their breeding programme. Tilikum is the star of film, the star of the Seaworld shows.  He’s the biggest whale in captive history and has attacked many times.  The film aims to pull focus on the morality of and lack of ethical consideration involved in Seaworld’s decisions to continue using the whale.  Many speakers comment on the issue comparatively, for example, how large dog breeds trained badly will result in attacks on humans, but that the dog is instantly put down in favour of human life preservation.  The horrific statements are used impeccably well to bring to light the short comings of Seaworld’s standards on staff care and are often presented in a calm manner.  Believable and understandable, it’s hard to ignore Blackfish’s argument.  One sided yet impressively resourceful, there are things that you see here which can’t be unseen.  Blackfish is worth a viewing but with a keen eye for moments of heart string tugging.  Looking at the spectacle of performance for entertainment purposes is self-reflexive within the film.  The documentary itself is largely a combination of clips that put on the entertaining performance of ‘I can’t believe what I’m seeing, but I can’t look away and I’m not sure I should be seeing that’.  Blackfish is a rather fantastic piece of film and surely is at its best shared.

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Laura Shearer

Staff Film Critic. Visit my personal blog at Film Think Tank

Currently Belfast based film reviewer, once a film theory student (BA 2:1, MA with distinction). I share a deep fascination with Asian cinemas and am mostly interested in cinematography. Documentary film is probably my favourite genre if I had to pick one. Monster movies, classic comedy like Chaplin or the downright bizarre are among my favourite viewings. My passion for film boarders obsessive like any cinephile would say. I’ll watch anything once, but can guarantee I’ll have something to say.

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