In the Heart Of the Sea (3D) - directed by Ron Howard
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Holland, Ben Wishaw, Cillian Murphy, Charlotte Riley, Brendan Gleeson, Frank Dillane, Benjamin Walker, Paul Anderson, Michelle Fairley, Jordi Molia, Donald Sumpter
Running Time: 122 minutes
Rated: M - Some dark themes and some brutal whaling scenes
In the Heart of the Sea represents a lot of what I don't like in a movie.
I find Ron Howard decidedly average as director and often outright awful.
The period and subject matter of this movie also leave me a little bit cold.
And frankly it looked like a bit of a downer and I have been craving a more lighthearted cheerful sort of pick me up of a movie of late.
Odd then that I booked this ahead of "The Night Before" a movie that on paper at least is more what I am in need of this week.
There is something about it in the trailers that made me want to give it a look see.
The cast is part of it but I guess the trailer did exactly what it is supposed to do- intrigue me.
Taking a seat in a cinema on opening night that would only ever occupy two other people the chances of success for this film don't look great.
I hope that this doesn't turn out to be the case because there is a lot to like about "In the Heart Of the Sea".
The opening underwater shots utilise the 3D well and some of the early shots of Nantucket in the 1800's are marvellously done.
Some shots just need a gold frame around them to look exactly like a painting.
The plot framing device is not quite as admirable however and it robs the movie of a fair amount of tension.
It does allow for the two best performances though with Ben Wishaw as writer Herman Melville and Brendan Gleeson as the grown up version of Tom Holland the youngest member of the ship Essex about which this movie concerns itself.
Melville pays Holland to tell the true story of the Essex which sank at sea with most of the crew lost.
Tales were told of a large white whale battering holes in the vessel but the official story is that it ran aground.
Melville is looking for inspiration for a novel.
Ultimately this will be "Moby Dick" of course.
Chris Hemsworth starred in what is easily my favourite film directed by Ron Howard- "Rush".
This time he plays Owen Chase - the second mate on the Essex.
He had been promised a captaincy due to a previous highly successful whaling voyage but the ships owners renege and instead give the top job to the company owners son George Pollard.
This will be the first instance where the script deviates from the truth.
In reality the men had sailed together before and had a good working relationship.
The film has them at odds from the start.
Pollard is wreckless and arrogant while Chase is seasoned, sensible and a far better leader of men.
It adds sone tension until the whale arrives so fair enough.
In fact we don't see any whales until more than 30 minutes have passed.
Times have changed of course from the days when the oil produced from whale blubber was required for lamps and to make soap and margarine and the process of harpooning whales is quite jarring to modern eyes.
Howard makes sure that the process is shown in all of its bloody detail.
By the time the huge white whale arrives to smash up the Essex you can't help but feel that maybe it was merely justice.
To give credit to the film it will shift our allegiances very effectively several times as the men struggle to survive without a ship.
As effective as this aspect is it also takes place at a time in the films running time where is does drag a little.
We've seen men set adrift trying to survive many times and it is hard to keep it fresh and exciting and this film doesn't entirely succeed.
There is a bit of "The Life of Pi" and a dash of "Castaway" and even some strong whiffs of "Jaws" about the middle section.
It is a pretty truthful account and so a slight sag in the middle can be forgiven.
The cast all perform wonderfully and Tom Holland's performance makes me even more excited to him as Spider-Man in "Captain America: Civil War" next year.
His work in "The Impossible" was also very good so he looks like a genuine star in the making.
Hemsworth is as reliable as ever but in truth he does pretty much play the same character time and time again.
But he has considerable screen presence and that is what is needed for Owen Chase.
There is strong support from Benjamin Walker ("Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter") as Pollard, Cillian Murphy as Chase's best mate Henry and the great Jordi Molia as a Spanish Captain who delivers a portentous tale of doom before the journey.
The scenes in which the whale strikes are very effective and plenty of menace is applied to the great beast.
Every time the whale emerges from the water or dives bringing its might tail downwards there is the very serious threat of lives being lost.
Some dark territory is entered here too.
As did happen the crew spent months at sea adrift in small boats and resorted to eating the flesh of the dead.
Howard isn't too graphic here - at least visually- but there are some gruelling descriptions delivered by way of narration.
That said I do wonder what a director like David Cronenberg or David Fincher might have done with this material.
We would almost certainly have ended up with an R rated movie but I don't necessarily think that this would be a bad outcome.
Still- there is plenty to admire about this movie on the whole.
RATING: 75/ 100
CONCLUSION: Very well shot and mostly compelling it only really suffers from a dip in the middle section. All in all this is well worth seeing and in 3D if possible.
Running Time: 122 minutes
Rated: M - Some dark themes and some brutal whaling scenes
In the Heart of the Sea represents a lot of what I don't like in a movie.
I find Ron Howard decidedly average as director and often outright awful.
The period and subject matter of this movie also leave me a little bit cold.
And frankly it looked like a bit of a downer and I have been craving a more lighthearted cheerful sort of pick me up of a movie of late.
Odd then that I booked this ahead of "The Night Before" a movie that on paper at least is more what I am in need of this week.
There is something about it in the trailers that made me want to give it a look see.
The cast is part of it but I guess the trailer did exactly what it is supposed to do- intrigue me.
Taking a seat in a cinema on opening night that would only ever occupy two other people the chances of success for this film don't look great.
I hope that this doesn't turn out to be the case because there is a lot to like about "In the Heart Of the Sea".
The opening underwater shots utilise the 3D well and some of the early shots of Nantucket in the 1800's are marvellously done.
Some shots just need a gold frame around them to look exactly like a painting.
The plot framing device is not quite as admirable however and it robs the movie of a fair amount of tension.
It does allow for the two best performances though with Ben Wishaw as writer Herman Melville and Brendan Gleeson as the grown up version of Tom Holland the youngest member of the ship Essex about which this movie concerns itself.
Melville pays Holland to tell the true story of the Essex which sank at sea with most of the crew lost.
Tales were told of a large white whale battering holes in the vessel but the official story is that it ran aground.
Melville is looking for inspiration for a novel.
Ultimately this will be "Moby Dick" of course.
Chris Hemsworth starred in what is easily my favourite film directed by Ron Howard- "Rush".
This time he plays Owen Chase - the second mate on the Essex.
He had been promised a captaincy due to a previous highly successful whaling voyage but the ships owners renege and instead give the top job to the company owners son George Pollard.
 |
| Chris Hemsworth as Chase Owen |
In reality the men had sailed together before and had a good working relationship.
The film has them at odds from the start.
Pollard is wreckless and arrogant while Chase is seasoned, sensible and a far better leader of men.
It adds sone tension until the whale arrives so fair enough.
In fact we don't see any whales until more than 30 minutes have passed.
Times have changed of course from the days when the oil produced from whale blubber was required for lamps and to make soap and margarine and the process of harpooning whales is quite jarring to modern eyes.
Howard makes sure that the process is shown in all of its bloody detail.
By the time the huge white whale arrives to smash up the Essex you can't help but feel that maybe it was merely justice.
To give credit to the film it will shift our allegiances very effectively several times as the men struggle to survive without a ship.
As effective as this aspect is it also takes place at a time in the films running time where is does drag a little.
We've seen men set adrift trying to survive many times and it is hard to keep it fresh and exciting and this film doesn't entirely succeed.
There is a bit of "The Life of Pi" and a dash of "Castaway" and even some strong whiffs of "Jaws" about the middle section.
It is a pretty truthful account and so a slight sag in the middle can be forgiven.
The cast all perform wonderfully and Tom Holland's performance makes me even more excited to him as Spider-Man in "Captain America: Civil War" next year.
His work in "The Impossible" was also very good so he looks like a genuine star in the making.
Hemsworth is as reliable as ever but in truth he does pretty much play the same character time and time again.
But he has considerable screen presence and that is what is needed for Owen Chase.
There is strong support from Benjamin Walker ("Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter") as Pollard, Cillian Murphy as Chase's best mate Henry and the great Jordi Molia as a Spanish Captain who delivers a portentous tale of doom before the journey.
The scenes in which the whale strikes are very effective and plenty of menace is applied to the great beast.
Every time the whale emerges from the water or dives bringing its might tail downwards there is the very serious threat of lives being lost.
Some dark territory is entered here too.
As did happen the crew spent months at sea adrift in small boats and resorted to eating the flesh of the dead.
Howard isn't too graphic here - at least visually- but there are some gruelling descriptions delivered by way of narration.
That said I do wonder what a director like David Cronenberg or David Fincher might have done with this material.
We would almost certainly have ended up with an R rated movie but I don't necessarily think that this would be a bad outcome.
Still- there is plenty to admire about this movie on the whole.
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