In the Heart of the Sea (2015) User Reviews

Memory of waves and whales

[quincytheodore · 7/10 · 7 December 2015]

It is said that we understand more about space than our own sea, although one thing both realms have in common is the propensity to convey epic journeys to silver screen. There's an inherent romantic feel to maritime life, even as a tragic showing like Life of Pi or Titanic. This is the same attribute "In the Heart of the Sea" has, and even though there are minor blemishes, it still produces a good human drama shown by impeccable visual atmosphere.

This is a retelling of a particular ship's ordeal, also an inspiration for the novel Moby Dick. It is told from an account of then young crew member, he now tells the story of adventure and misery in his older days. While it's a good ground for characterization and set-up, it might overhype its own story and break the pacing slightly. Fortunately, Brendan Gleeson and Michelle Fairley are capable enough to maintain their own mini subplot.

The actual voyage consists of two leads, Owen Chase (Chris Hemsworth) and George Pollard (Benjamin Walker). Owen is a veteran sailor, who is promised a captain seat, but ultimately denied of the right because of nepotism favoring George. The two collides frequently, and more than once their dispute ends up bringing malady to the ship and its crew.

Chris Hemsworth is a great actor, however this is not the same level of rivalry he had in Rush. It is by no fault of Benjamin Walker who does try to fulfill the role, but he doesn't portray the personality clash of an epic saga. In fact, Hemsworth has more connection with Gillian Murphy, the third in command, even though they have lesser screen time together. The rest of the crew isn't compelling enough, in exception of young Nickerson who will eventually narrates it.

For most part the visual is splendid, mainly when it transcends the barrier between sea line and underwater. On some scenes it pans out so nicely it brings an alluringly harrowing view of ocean, its human drifters and beastly occupants. It has overall bluish tone that keeps the cold isolation vibe while the gigantic whale, though we know it's CG as whale is too much of a diva to work with, is still pretty convincing in close up.

Plot keeps a straightforward momentum, although it may be inconsistent sometimes. There are parts where it seems to dawdle for ten or fifteen minute more than needs be, while some scenes are cut short and ultimately feels disjointed. It's not a big issue, but it does make the story skips rather abruptly or plods at times.

In the Heart of the Sea is an interesting excursion with fine visual. Granted, it doesn't navigate well enough under some waves, yet this homage to a great classic has its enchanting and inspiring moments.

A Very Angry Whale.

[brendandevere · 7/10 · 7 December 2015]

'Moby Dick' is the well known adventure of a whaling ship and its crew, relentlessly hunting the legendary white whale that had been a proverbial thorn in any whaling expedition. But before Herman Melville wrote his most famous piece of work in 1850, the American author had received the inspiration for his classic from a real life whaling expedition thirty years prior. The true story of the Essex and its crew reverberated around the world and had the potential to destroy the whale oil industry at a time when the precious commodity was the 'electricity' of the day. Its use in everyday life was common and was the main source of heat and lighting in the nineteenth century. The hunt for the rich oil saw large numbers of whaling ships spending years at a time out at sea so the bright lights of towns and cities could burn before the introduction of electricity. How far we have all come, even from the recent past.

Ron Howard has always been a bankable Director. He has been at the helm of some truly delightful films in recent memory and has rarely provided the audience with a bad experience. His solid wisdom has enabled him to deliver a film that is concrete without being spectacular. Charles Leavitt's screenplay shadows that of the direction; it provides the opportunity for deep dialogue without ever pushing the boundaries of its cast, leaving the best performance to a CGI generated whale. Howard has been able to create an authentic nineteenth century atmosphere, with rich scenes full of all the wonderment's of a by-gone era but the film on a whole seems to lack an emotional impact that Herman Melville's story was able to achieve. 'Moby Dick' seemed to have an excitable expectation about it where as 'In the Heart of the Sea' failed to deliver any really memorable moments. This is not to say that Ron Howard's film is not watchable, it just has been unable to conjure up anything new.

The narrative focuses on the booming whaling industry out of Nantucket and its heavy reliance on whale oil to provide the energy that society needs to live through their everyday lives. The whaling ship 'Essex' is the pride of the fleet and has been commissioned for a new expedition for the growing need of the priceless liquid. The story is told through the eyes of Thomas Nickerson (Brendan Gleeson), who is the last survivor of the fateful adventure that took place thirty years before. His narration is for the benefit of Herman Melville (Ben Whishaw) who is compelled to write about the story. Nickerson centres his narration around Owen Chase (Chris Hemsworth), the second in command of the Essex and a man that was born to be a whale-man. Chase is respected by his crew and is good enough to be the Captain in his own right but lacks the heritage to demand such a post. George Pollard (Benjamin Walker) is given the task of commanding the Essex and it isn't long before his personality clashes with that of Chase.

Through heavy storms, potential mutiny and misdirection, the Essex and its crew struggle to make the quota of three thousand barrels of oil needed for a successful voyage. With hope quickly turning to doubt, morale is boosted with a story of infinite whale sighting's a thousand miles from land and the chance for the crew to meet the demands of their employers. once the Essex reaches its location they are confronted by a monster that they have never encountered before; a sperm whale with white markings that is one hundred feet long and full of vengeance. It doesn't take a genius to know what happens next but the aftermath leaves both Pollard and Chase with memories that changes the course of their lives.

This is the whales film and the gigantic beast's on screen presence is what the audience wants to see. He makes an absolute mess of the Essex and hauntingly stalks the survivors as they float in small boats in the vastness of the Pacific knowing that they are all at the whale's mercy.

Brendan Gleeson is always good to watch and puts in a solid performance as the older Thomas Nickerson. Ben Whishaw is a star of the future and does credit to his role in a safe performance as the famous Melville. Chris Hemsworth is trying to spread his acting wings by expanding his appeal to the powers that be. The big Aussie hunk is doing his best to become a bankable leading man but the jury is still out as to whether he has the screen presence to successfully become the film star that we all want him to be. He can act but I feel at times that he is left behind by more accomplished craftsmen.

'In the Heart of the Sea' is a curious film. See it once and enjoy what it has to offer but 'Moby Dick' it ain't. The audience does get an insight into the extremities of an industry that was once the life blood of human civilisation. There is a scene that could be confronting to those viewers with a weak stomach as the Essex crew go about extracting the oil from the harmless beasts of the ocean but luckily this is only seen once although vital in the context of the narrative.

Another Solid Ron Howard Film

[somf · 7/10 · 2 December 2015]

If you don't count his Dan Brown films, it has been a very long time since Ron Howard has made anything less than a solid entertaining film and this is no exception. Based on a true story that inspired Herman Melville's Moby Dick ITHOTS begins with Melville meeting up with the only still surviving member of the Whale Ship Essex, played by the always excellent Brenden Gleeson. Melville pays him to finally describe the events of 30 years earlier when he was a 14 year old crew member on his maiden voyage.I won't go into how it bugged me that using the historical time line. Gleeson could not have yet turned 50, because I am one of only a few geeks who would dwell on that.

I think this is Hemsworth's best role if for no other reason he does the DeNiro Raging Bull thing to his body. The characters starve at sea and it is hard to believe that CGI is not heavily involved with his appearance at the end of the film, but from what I have read apparently not. If Howard had made this film a decade ago, Russell Crowe would have had the Hemsworth role as the first mate. But Hemsworth does as well as I could have imagined Crowe in the role, and that is a compliment to his maturing as an actor.

A lot of interesting stuff about Whaling and the film is beautifully shot. I have a feeling that fans of the book will be a bit disappointed because it seems that certain aspects of the book were probably glossed over. If you want to see it in IMAX (which was not offered at my screening and which I thought was surprising and disappointing) then you had better catch this opening week. Something tells me that another film opening the following week is apt to hog up all the IMAX screens for a few weeks. I hope that does not hurt the box office for this film too, because it is a big screen epic.

My wife would not go with me because she did not want to see the cruelty to the whales, and there are some terrifically filmed and exciting hunting scenes, but I am one of those that kind of rooted for the whales as well. Heck, at the end of the day, one might say the Whale won.

Adventure , thrills , and sea chases , being wonderfully shot in the Canary Islands , Spain

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 15 January 2016]

Agreeable retelling , vividly played , in which a Captain called Pollard (Benjamin Walker , though other actors that were considered included Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hiddleston, and Henry Cavill) and a tough first officer , Owen Chase (Chris Hemsworth) command a surly ship of whale hunters through sheer ruthlessness and ego . Fine rendition freely based on Herman Neville novel : ¨Moby Dick¨ , with enjoyable interpretations from all-star-cast . Based on the true story of the ship Essex , a whaling ship that was attacked and sunk by a sperm whale in the southern Pacific Ocean in 1820 . In this extremely loose adaptation of Melville's classic novel, George Pollard , Ahab-alike , is revealed initially not as a bitter and revengeful madman . This oceans saga features some survivors of a lost whaling ship and relates the tale of a white whale as well as the captain Pollard's obsession with desires for vendetta upon the greatest animal . It starts in New England , where an expert officer and harpooner signs aboard the whaling ship along with rookie captain George Pollard . Both of whom meet a motley crew formed by two-fisted sailors as Caleb Chappel (Paul Anderson) , Henry Coffin (Frank Dillane) , Richard Peterson (Osy Ikhile) , Benjamin Lawrence (Joseph Mawle) , Ramsdell (Sam Keeley ) and Matthew Joy (Cillian Murphy) , among others . They are attacked by a huge Cachalot that causes destruction and wreck havoc . Pollard , subsequently , consecrates his life to hunt it , full of hating and vengeance . He has a self-destructive obsession to hunt the white whale , carrying out obstinately his revenge and determination to seek avenge on the beast that destroyed his crew and ship .

Based on a true incident inspired Herman Melville's "Moby Dick" . Yet another take on of Melville's classic battle of wills story described on the book titled "In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex¨ by Nathaniel Philbrick , being well written by screenwriter Charles Leavitt . The picture is a fine as well as free adaptation of the famous novel well scripted/adapted and ably realized , though full of computer generator FX . ¨In the heart of the sea¨ is an attractive tale of life on the high seas , and in particular on board a whale schooner named 'Essex' , while in the classic novel is called ¨Pequod¨ . This impressive adaptation based on Herman Melville's 1851 classic novel is vividly brought to screen . The interactions between George Pollard , Owen Chase , Matthew Joy are reminiscent of ¨Moby Dick's personages¨ as Captain Ahab , Ishmael , Starbuck , Queequeg , Daggoo , as well as the main characters of ¨Billy Budd¨, another novel written by Herman Melville , and it results to be one of the most thrilling and moving see sagas ever written . Suspense and tension of the ocean is completely captured , including enduring frames as the braving storms , famine , panic and despair , the men will call into question their deepest beliefs , from the value of their existences to the morality of their works as whale-killers . Climatic battle between the giant whale and the harpooners , it is an overwhelming piece of cinema as you are likely to watch . Charles Leavitt , Rick Jaffa , Amanda Silver wrote the story and screenplay that was partially faith to the novel . And filmmaker Ron Howard stamping this movie with epic images and thought-provoking dialogs . Enjoyable recounting , including quite a few moments that click make this top-of-the-range movie more than watchable . The FX experts created a great whale made by means of ordinary computer generator . Top-notch main and secondary cast realize extraordinary performances . Chris Hemsworth is nice as well as Benjamin Walker and Tom Holland . This marks the second collaboration between director Ron Howard and actor Chris Hemsworth , their first collaboration was Rush (2013). Phenomenal support cast , plenty of familiar faces who give perfect interpretations , such as Brendan Gleeson , Cillian Murphy , Jordi Mollà , Michelle Fairley , Paul Anderson , Frank Dillane , Joseph Mawle , Donald Sumpter , Richard Bremmer and Ben Whishaw as Herman Melville

Cameraman Anthony Dod Mantle's appropriate color cinematography splendidly conveys the bleaker qualities of the chase . Exciting and thrilling musical score by Roque Baños , being filmed on location in the Canaries , where in 1956 John Huston directed the classic version starred by Gregory Peck , Richard Basehart , Harry Andrews and Orson Welles . The motion picture was compellingly directed by Ron Howard . This is the sixth film directed by Ron Howard based on a true story. The others were "Apolo 13 (1995)", "A beautiful mind (2001) ", "Cinderella Man (2005)", "Frost versus Nixon (2008)" and "Rush (2013)". Rating : Very good , better tan average . Well worth watching .

The Art of the Sea

[leosmith-11166 · 7/10 · 3 December 2015]

I went into the cinema expecting something fairly decent. Something that would at the very least, satisfy. I I was more wrong than I thought. It was better than satisfactory. It was brilliant. The Effects are the best of the year, and Chris Hemsworths Acting is top notch. Ron Howard has always been a great director, and I did enjoy a beautiful mind and Apollo 13, but this film has to be one of the greatest of the year. The film is very emotional at times, and the storyline is very well thought out. Definitely deserves an Oscar for best visual effects, and hopefully it will bag some more Oscars on the way.

The movie is best viewed on the big screen, as it possibly wouldn't have the same effect on a TV. Get into the cinemas before it's too late.

A handsomely old-fashioned sea-faring yarn that could do with a lot more character work, Ron Howard's Man-versus-Nature saga finds its own heart somewhat lost at sea

[moviexclusive · 7/10 · 2 December 2015]

'In the Heart of the Sea' is not 'Moby Dick'. Instead, it is based on Nathaniel Philbrick's non-fiction book of the same name, which was itself drawn from real events surrounding the Nantucket whaling ship Essex that was allegedly sunk by a giant sperm whale in the western Pacific on November 20, 1820. Out of the 21 men who made it out alive, only eight eventually survived the ordeal in the open sea, and there are accounts from two – one, the ship's first mate Owen Chase; and two, a 14-year-old cabin boy named Thomas Nickerson who waited 55 years to write his side of the story which ended up lost until 1980.

Even though young Melville's (Ben Whishaw) interview with the truculent Nickerson (Brendan Gleeson) bookends the film, let it first be known that these scenes are in fact fiction, for there is no way that the real-life Melville could have access to Nickerson's memoir, since the book 'Moby Dick' was published in 1851. Notwithstanding that it is a classical framing device for a tall tale, there is no denying that these portions are redundant and quite the unnecessary distraction in between critical points of the Essex's doomed voyage, redeemed only somewhat by Gleeson's performance of such dignity and sadness at the dire circumstances that he had to confront in order to survive on few provisions for 90 days.

It is Gleeson's narration that brings us back to 1820 Nantucket, where we are first introduced to Chris Hemsworth's Chase, a proud whaler excited at the prospect of commanding his own ship. Alas, its business owners who had before promised Owen his boat decide to make him nursemaid Pollard (Benjamin Walker), whose only qualification is that his father is the company's patron. Despite his frustration and his wife's (Charlotte Riley) reservations about that particular expedition, Owen eventually sets sail with George and the rest of the crew, which includes his best friend Matthew Joy (Cillian Murphy), the young Nickerson (Tom Holland, or soon-to-be 'Spidey'), and George's cousin Owen Coffin (Frank Dillane).

As expected, tension soon builds between the experienced first mate and the inexperienced but eager-to-prove-himself captain. In the first of three major action sequences, George orders the Essex to sail head on into a squall against Owen's advice as a test of mettle for the crew, an ill decision that almost capsizes the ship and seemingly pits the two men squarely against each other. Thrilling as that setup may be, Charles Leavitt's screenplay gives the officer- versus-officer conflict short shrift in the later acts.

Losing no momentum, Owen soon chances upon the sound of whales exhaling air through their blowholes; how Owen and his men kill and capture a full-grown male is shown in exhilarating detail, as much as the later operation to harvest its fats for oil is displayed in full gory glory (especially a sequence where the young Nickerson is thrust down a hole in the whale's head to scoop out the prized sperm oil). Yet, bad luck immediately after forces George to bring the Essex into uncharted waters to hunt for pods, and the last of the big-bang sequences you'll get is the encounter with the big one, described by a Spanish captain the crew meet on a stopover at Atacames who lost his arm and six other men as measuring almost 100 metres in length and whose hide is alabaster white.

Howard and cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle do not disappoint; that single encounter is single-handedly the highlight of the entire film, edge-of-your-seat gripping, breathtakingly staged, and enough to silence the hubris of any man who thinks he is superior to Mother Nature's creations. It ends with the Essex in flames and the surviving crewmen in three whaleboats, and so begins a much more sombre and deliberately paced final act which chronicles the harrowing aftermath, with the men forced to brave storms, starvation, panic and despair. It is here that we find out just what has been disturbing Nickerson all these years – when staring starvation in the face, the men would be forced to eat their dead shipmates or draw lots for one of them to be sacrificed.

Hemsworth's dramatic weight loss to play a sunken Owen is clearly evident, as is the dedication by the other cast members to portray their characters' afflictions with utmost realism. Yet, coming after films such as 'Castaway' or even 'Life of Pi', we'd be lying if we said it was new or surprising. Both of those movies however managed a deeper emotional resonance because they gave us characters which we actually care about, the same of which cannot be said here. Owen's obsession with the giant whale that seems to be following them is never quite explained, nor for the matter why the animal shown to evoke some sort of mythical terror would do so. How the friction between Owen and George gives way to mutual respect is also glossed over, and the same goes for the discord between George and his cousin whom the former lectures earlier for abusing familial privilege.

In the absence of more compelling character drama, all we are left with is an old-fashioned seafaring adventure and an ageless tale of men forced to do the unthinkable in order to survive the odds of nature. Being the consummate storyteller he is, Howard excels in both regards, and there is never a dull moment in his film. Yet, as much as this story of ordinary men pitted against their own moral fiber fits squarely within Howard's oeuvre, it ultimately comes up much less because it fails to define the men themselves, or their raison d'etre for going at each other. Ironically, 'In the Heart of the Sea' could do with a lot more heart at its core, seeing as how it wants to be more, much more, than just the battle with the whale that was 'Moby Dick'.

A Visual Spectacle!

[najib-02749 · 9/10 · 6 July 2018]

HOW ON EARTH DID THIS MOVIE BECOME A FLOP??

Only USD$25 million in the US and less than US$100 million worldwide?

This movie needs to be celebrated and deserves far better credit. It's a tale of survival, grudge, jealousy. fear and agony. And the director managed to showcase the glory of Moby Dick and reality of the London oil business in the 1800s.

Pros: 1) Story 2) Casting 3) VFX 4) Background Score

Cons: 1) Maybe Too Political?? 2) Whale has minimal screen time

Lightweight whale

[petra_ste · 6/10 · 12 April 2016]

Ron Howard's Moby Dick would be a funny thing indeed - like Michael Bay's Crime and Punishment. Howard has landed a few solid genre films (Ransom, Apollo 13...), but he is essentially a vanilla director making vanilla movies - a bad match for Melville's metaphysical masterpiece.

Thankfully, the connection with Moby Dick is a lot feebler; In the Heart of the Sea is an adaptation of Nathaniel Philbrick's excellent novel, based on a true event - the sinking of the ship Essex by a whale - which inspired Melville's classic.

The movie commits three major narrative blunders.

First, the usual, overwrought framing device, with survivor Nickerson (Gleeson) recounting the disaster and the crew's following ordeal to Melville (Whishaw). Not only the meeting never happened (Nickerson wrote down his memoirs for a minor writer, who never used them); the movie keeps cutting to Nickerson and Melville, dissipating any tension and momentum the survivors' struggle may gather. Imagine a version of Cast Away where, every ten minutes on the island, we cut to a scene of Tom Hanks interviewed by a journalist after returning home.

Second problem: characters. The most interesting element of Philbrick's novel is how Captain Pollard (here played by Benjamin Walker), decent but irresolute, is the more sympathetic character, while first mate Chase (Chris Hemsworth), harsh but determined, is the more charismatic.

As is typical of blockbusters, the movie chooses a single protagonist (Chase/Hemsworth) and whitewashes him to an absurd extent. He was supposed to become Captain, but was robbed of his rank! (He wasn't - Pollard was the Essex' previous first mate). Chase was popular among the crew! (He wasn't, many feared and disliked him). And so on. Even Walker's supercilious Pollard eventually bows to Thor's superiority. A pity, because Chase would have been FAR more intriguing with his darker edges.

Third problem: Howard's penchant for melodrama rears its ugly head. Director and scriptwriters felt the need to spice up this compelling story with inventions (like the whale chasing the crew for weeks after the attack, or a one-harmed sailor warning them about the beast), while omitting details with the flavor of real life (a sailor setting an island on fire out of sheer idiocy, a hunting party aborted after a terrible roar in a jaguar-infested jungle) and crucial mistakes: Pollard wanted to sail to the Society Islands after the disaster, which would probably have saved many lives, but was irresolute enough to be persuaded by his officers to head to South America instead.

The result is watchable, but lightweight - the one adjective one would NEVER use for the literary classic the movie so portentously tries to evoke.

5,5/10

Brooding dark but beautiful

[jayakumar_ajk · 8/10 · 7 December 2015]

yes, some movies get released in India even before US/UK. this is one such movie which got released one week before US.

I went for the movie more for nature, graphics and 3D of Whale, but as a sweet surprise, the director took more time in depicting characters and their feelings rather than spending time on Whale or graphics, which is a welcome change, considering we having lots of movies with CG now a days.

as i said in the summary, it is a movie at the right pace, brooding, dark and desolate at times but nevertheless beautiful.

beautiful how the bickering relationship between captain and his first mate changes into a influencing r.ship in the end is lovely.

should i say ? must watch.

many viewers from IMDb yet to watch this movie, so no spoiler from my side ! enjoy the survival of the fittest and the people who have hope to survive any situation !!

swim in the lovely emotions director created

Old-fashioned adventure with an overload of CGI

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 14 April 2018]

IN THE HEART OF THE SEA is an energetic and old-fashioned high seas adventure directed by Ron Howard and based on the same true story that inspired Herman Melville to write MOBY DICK. Unfortunately this leads to an extensive framing narrative involving Brendan Gleeson's salty old sea-dog and Ben Whishaw playing Melville, seeking material for his next novel. At times the narrative will be in the heart of the action before jumping back to the present, but they should have dropped this flabby extension of the running time all together to focus on the main story. It's the usual tale of survival at sea against the odds, with a battle against an abnormally large whale making up the heart of the narrative. Unfortunately, Howard gets obsessed with CGI here and at times the film is nothing more than a series of shots of actors against a green screen interacting with CGI. Still, the human drama is quite engrossing, and the cast is surprisingly good; Hemsworth flexs his acting chops unshackled from THOR, while Cillian Murphy, Joseph Mawle, Tom Holland and Frank Dillane all get their moments to shine.

A perfect blend of drama & adventure.

[Anurag-Shetty · 9/10 · 14 December 2015]

In the Heart of the Sea tells the true story of the Essex, a whaling ship. In 1820, while first mate Owen Chase(Chris Hemsworth), captain George Pollard(Benjamin Walker) & the rest of the crew were searching for whales in the middle of the ocean, they encounter a gigantic sperm whale. This gigantic whale causes the Essex to sink. Now, it is up to Owen Chase & the rest of his crew to somehow survive the harsh conditions at sea. They will also have to be alert for the return of the whale. The true story of this movie, inspired Herman Melville's(Ben Whishaw) famous novel, Moby Dick.

In the Heart of the Sea is a spectacular film. The CGI is perfect & the whales in the movie look extremely realistic & intimidating. The 3D works really well in all the scenes involving the whales & the chaos & destruction set pieces. However, it is unnecessary for the emotional scenes of the movie. Director Ron Howard perfectly captures the suffering of all the crew members of the Essex. He makes sure that the movie is not just about the special effects & adventure but, also adds dramatic set pieces. One flaw of the movie is the lack of character development. Despite everything they go through, you don't genuinely care about the fate of all the characters in the movie. You only care about, Chris Hemsworth's character, Tom Holland's character, Cillian Murphy's character & to a certain extent, Benjamin Walker's character. At the end of the day, this is not a major flaw because, you can't give each & every character a detailed back-story. This would have unnecessarily elongated the duration of the movie. Chris Hemsworth has given the best performance of his career, as Owen Chase. Hemsworth's dramatic weight loss for the film, shows the dedication & hard work he has put in for his role. Benjamin Walker is great as George Pollard. Cillian Murphy is brilliant as Matthew Joy. Brendan Gleeson is good as Tom Nickerson. Ben Whishaw is wonderful as Herman Melville. Tom Holland is outstanding as Thomas Nickerson. Frank Dillane is superb as Owen Coffin. The supporting characters are impressive too. In the Heart of the Sea is a must watch. Go for it!

Intense Tale of Survival

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 14 February 2017]

I am a huge fan of Moby Dick. I've taught it as a novel; I've read it several times. Its artistry is beyond measure. Herman Melville certainly knew his stuff when it came to whaling and the sea. Apparently, Melville gained his inspiration from a particular whaling voyage that produced fodder for his imagination. This film takes the fictional Melville back to the time where he heard the story of the white whale. If one looks at the book as the allegory it is, we put the stamp of whiteness and all the implications of the color (or lack of it) that it implies. This movie takes any artistry out of the story. Ahab lost his leg and pursues the elusive cetacean in the ultimate act of revenge. Here, a bunch of guys get in over their heads. They had an overzealous captain who simply was out for the commercial value of the animal. When the whale destroys the ship (they do give him supernatural powers) part of the crew is in whaleboats, trying to get someplace safe. Terrible things happen, including cannablism, and some manage to hold off their fates till they are rescued. But there is something dull about the pacing of the story. We aren't made privy to much of what goes on among them. There are the obligatory sacrifices that are not new to this genre. It's a decent movie, but a better script and some more personal depth would have helped.

Need More Heart Here

[Richie-67-485852 · 5/10 · 14 December 2015]

If you like a decent story, the ocean, whales and man against the elements, here you go. If you want it to be memorable, you need to give it dimension, form, purpose and some intrigue. That is missing here and I am surprised that it is considering Ron Howard directed this. As to Chris Hemsworth, I am not sure he can carry a picture as a leading man. His verbal and emotional skills are not quite as fully developed as his body is. To be fair, this movie is not Moby Dick but instead the story that inspired it. When the words Moby Dick are conjured, one thinks of Gregory Peck as Captain Ahab and all the other colorful characters in the classic movie of its time. Here, we are given a story that needs our help to be entertaining when we should be since we paid to be so. If there are deleted scenes that will come out on a Blue Ray, this will help it along. I liked the movie but not $9.00 worth which is what it cost to get in. Wait until cable and you will enjoy it more one evening. Not a popcorn movie but a snack wouldn't hurt plus a tasty drink

Inspired Moby Dick, but is no Moby Dick, but it is visually effective.

[subxerogravity · 7/10 · 12 December 2015]

Based on the story that inspired Moby Dick, its novelist, Herman Melville seeks out the survivor of the Whaling ship Essex to have him tell the tale of the white whale they encountered.

I heard In the heart of the Sea was not action packed enough. It sounded like the best and only action sequences could be found in the trailer, but that was not the case at all. I found it pretty jammed packed with big adventure. From director Ron Howard showing us how to sail a ship, to the epic standoff between man and the world's largest mammal. They even get into how a whale is hunted and then gutted for oil, which won't make any PETA supporters happy.

I would say the real issue is that since they are advertising the movie as the story that inspired Moby Dick, you would expect more whale than we actually got. The survivor telling the tale, Thomas Nickerson (played by Brendan Gleeson as an old man and Tom Holland as a Young one) began his story by telling us it was about the Captain and his first officer (played by Chris Hemsworth), and for the most part the movie was about how these two different men, from different social classes operate a ship.

What I was most impressed with is that it was worth the IMAX 3D ticket. In the Heart of the Sea has so many fantastic visuals, and not just the eye candy that is Chris Hemsworth who was made to look quite heroic in the picture (or maybe I just could not get his image of Thor out of my head). A lot of the imagery was grim to give a realistic look at what it was like to be a sailor in the 1800s, it was brilliant cinematography.

And the story that was told was very complete. I think I learned far too much about the political process and corruption of the whaling industry, back in the day, which is interesting, but does have the story lingering longer than you would expect.

Overall, I'm impressed with the second effort Ron Howard and Chris Hemmisworth team up for after Rush.

If you think you know Moby Dick, watch this. Another angle.

[tonypeacock-1 · 7/10 · 11 May 2023]

I like the story of Moby Dick. The 19th Century novel by Herman Melville about the story of a giant whale that rams a whaling ship and sinks it. Kudos! So when I saw this film slip under the radar amongst the tide of Star Wars overkill at the local cinema I just had to watch it. What I saw left me pleasently surprised.

First I discovered it was directed by Ron Howard whose previous films I admired. Films like Rush (the story of James Hunt winning the 1976 F1 title) and Apollo 13. The cast looked quite good. Chris Hemsworth, Cillian Murphy, Brendan Gleeson and Ben Whishaw (again). The title at first seemed quite baffling. Hardly inspiring and unlikely to grab the Star Wars zombies attention? Upon watching the film I discovered it wasn't a direct Moby Dick remake. It presents another angle showing how Melville was stimulated to write the book by way of a semi-biographical telling of one of the surviving sailors story back in the 1800s. Whishaw plays Melville in a brief role. Gleeson the older surviving sailor telling his lifelong secrets.

Director Howard is an expert in this type of film. He has a track record of telling human disaster stories (Apollo 13). The story has a human rivalry element between first officer Hemsworth and the silver spoon in his mouth Captain. The rivalry is simlar to that in Rush between James Hunt and Nikki Lauda in motor racing. CGI is evident a little bit in the scenes where the giant whale attacks the ship that reminded me of the Great White Shark in Jaws. With better timing and marketing this film would be more widely known.

Howards visually strong film sails between the waters of greatness and mediocrity

[eddie_baggins · 7/10 · 3 December 2015]

Let's deal with the elephant in the room or in this particular case the great white whale in the boat, old ginger top Ron Howard's impressive looking new high seas adventure is not one of the year's best (or awards player as many thought) but it's an often mightily enjoyable time out at the cinema thanks to its visual spectacle.

Delayed from an early year release at years start and set a new opening timeslot in the awards friendly period of December, hype started building for this adaptation of Nathaniel Philbrick's well-loved novel (or simply the "real Moby Dick" story) that had many calling out the film as both a likely box office hot shot and a real wild card at this year's awards circuits.

What singular element likely to hold In the Heart of the Sea back from such bounties is hard to pinpoint but a summation could be given to suggest a lack of heart and strangely plotted narrative are key factors to Heart's inability to truly set sail.

Those who expected Heart to be a real man v whale high stakes thrill ride will be sorely disappointed as that's really not Howard's focus here while others may find themselves growing weary quickly of Heart's more survival against the odds scenario that sadly features characters we'd love to care a little more about.

From all reports investing in the characters in Philbrick's book is not an issue but with Chris Hemsworth's Owen Chase here leading the charge as second mate of the Essex and its captain George Pollard (played to boorish effect by Benjamin Walker) the crew of this wailing vessel fail to engage us on their high stakes journey and as "big white" makes his debut and the crew start to be whittled down in number, a realisation dawns that Howard and his screenwriter Charles Leavitt haven't done enough for us to invest our emotions in their increasingly doomed plight against one huge freak of nature.

After so-so turns in Snow White and the Huntsman and the beyond awful Blackhat, questions must now be raised about Hemsworth's ability to lead a film outside of his Thor comfort zone and whilst his not terrible here he's certainly not the one to help lead Heart forward to another level and in his struggles with nailing accents is again prevalent here although that's never stopped fellow Australian ex-pat Russell Crowe. Side players like Cillian Murphy's Matthew Joy and Brendan Gleeson's aged Thomas Nickerson end up making more of an impression but as like most of the ensemble they are underused and slightly underdeveloped.

This real life Moby Dick is directed with enough assurance and visual flair by the professional and proficient Ron Howard that throughout its two hour run time there's enough to warrant a cinema screen viewing but you can't help escape the feeling that in the end we were never hooked the way we should be to this almost unbelievably huge adventure.

In the Heart of the Sea assuredly sails between the waters of greatness and mediocrity to in the end become a sparingly thrilling yet forgettable telling of one unforgettable story.

3 ½ emaciated Thor's out of 5

The Cruel Sea Meets Moby Dick

[rbrb · 8/10 · 6 December 2015]

This is a high quality sea faring adventure movie, apparently based on a true event. I am glad to highly recommend the film as the whole production is first class and to fully appreciate the picture better to view it at the movie house rather than the likes of DVD. As for example the spectacular ocean scenes are at their best on the big screen.

In around 1820 huge profits were available to shipping companies for catching whales mainly for their sperm. One such company had an important whale hunting expedition but for selfish motives employed an inexperienced ship's captain, whilst the second in command ought to have been in charge. That fatal error leads to disastrous consequences. Indeed it was this story which led to the subsequent fictional classic book Moby Dick.

The movie for me captures the time period perfectly as the production and design is meticulous even down to the accents and language spoken. I felt I was transported to the 1820's and beyond.

An excellent cinema experience!

7 and a half rounded up:

8/10.

'This is not the whale you are looking for.......'

[stephendaxter · 6/10 · 2 December 2015]

In the Heart of the Sea is an Action/Adventure/Biopic based on the real disaster that inspired Herman Melville's 'Moby-Dick'. The film follows the voyage of the 'Essex', a whaling ship that was bought down in 1820 by a Sperm Whale in the South Pacific, and is a tale of Adventure, Drama, Survival and Boredom. Obviously the main reason I and most other people wanted to go and see this movie was to see this massive whale go toe to toe with the Essex and its crew. Actual confrontations with the whale in this film were few and far between but when they happen, man do they make an impact. This whale was ginormous, he was grand and it was such a spectacle seeing this huge beautiful whale on screen. The way they emphasise his size through juxtaposing him with the boats gives his presence much more weight. Confrontations with the whale were intense and serious edge-of-seat stuff. The CGI effects of this whale were beautiful and incredibly detailed. This would have taken up a huge chunk of the budget as making this whale look as realistic as possible was crucial to the enjoyment of the film. Some of the CGI in the wide shots were well done, but there were still quite a few scenes and wide shots throughout the film, especially in Nantucket that really just didn't look right and did take me out of the film.

The film's biggest problem over the entire film was the pacing and the negative effect that had on my overall enjoyment of the film. This was a lot of the time a very slow film, especially at the beginning where the first 20 minutes or so was very dreary and quite boring. Throughout the film there are quite a few uninteresting moments that constantly just make you lose interest. The biggest culprit of these boring sleep inducing moments were the scenes that are showing Thomas Nickerson (Brendan Gleeson) recounting the events of the film to Herman Melville. Scenes like this are nothing new and have been done in countless films before this, but they were just completely uninteresting and didn't really add anything to the actual story of the film. I guess they were trying to get us to care about his character and his younger self for what he endured but for me at least i could have done without those scenes and it would have cut at least 15 minutes of its long 2 hour runtime and the film would have flowed better and quicker. There was one bit of dialogue early on that i thought spoiled how the film was going to end, but it was a very good piece of misdirection by the writers, if it was intentional.

Acting wise, the film was pretty good. Chris Hemsworth was the obvious standout, he was able to show off his acting talents quite a few times throughout the film, but still it was nothing amazing. The supporting cast was also mostly pretty strong, Benjamin Walker and our friendly neighbourhood Tom Holland were good, not great, just good strong performances. Ron Howard did a pretty good job directing the film, most of the time he nailed the tone of the film. The dramatic action scenes were filmed and directed in a very frantic and chaotic manner that upped the stakes during those intense moments. Especially in the latter portions of the film he does represent the sad tones and emotion pretty well and handles some very confronting scenes in a way that isn't too disturbing but also isn't sugar-coated. The latter half of the film although not free of some boring moments does pick up significantly from the first half when it introduces some survival elements. It doesn't really end on a high note, it should have been a short and sweet ending but it is dragged out a little longer and just ended up being alright.

In the end, this is an Action/Adventure that has its intense, dramatic moments, but is not without some boring moments that if excluded could have kept the film to like 1 hour and 40 minutes and would have made it more enjoyable and impactful. If you are fascinated of the story of Moby-Dick then you will probably get more out of the film than i did but it really wasn't as great as it was meant to be. - 6/10

Also this film believe it or not was supposed to release way back in March of 2015, but it was pushed back to December into Awards season to possibly get some Oscar recognition. Should have stayed in March because i'll be genuinely surprised if this even gets nominated for any awards when you consider all of the other great stuff from this year.

Exceptionally well made...

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 1 May 2016]

The story is about the Essex, a whaling ship that was, amazingly, sunk by a whale. The story is told through a flashback from one of the survivors of the journey and follows them from just before the cruise through their eventual rescue and return to Nantucket.

While "In the Heart of the Sea" is a bit overlong, it is a tremendously well made film. The script, not surprisingly, takes a few liberties with the actual story but is, overall, essentially factual*. But what really blew me away was the look of the film-- the 1820 New England landscape, the ship and the whale attacks. While you know that most of this was done using CGI, you simply cannot tell by looking at it...it looks so amazingly real.

*Several liberties were taken. A big one is the way the story is told--by the one survivor of the Essex affair back in 1950 who relates his story to Herman Melville. Well, this didn't happen...but it does make for a neat way to tell the story, so I didn't mind this. Additionally, First Mate Chase and his post-Essex life are COMPLETELY different from the way they're portrayed in the film. In each case, the changes were made to make the film more cinematic and enjoyable but also remind you that the actual story is a tad different.

This whale of tale movie was alright, but somewhat disappointing. It could had been better.

[ironhorse_iv · 7/10 · 16 December 2015]

Whale! Whale! Whale! You would think the inspiration for author Herman Melville's 1851's novel, "Moby Dick" would be amazing to watch. Sadly, this 2015 biographical survivor film directed by Ron Howard, wasn't a big splash with the audiences when it came out. For me, personally, this movie was entertaining to a point; but the story about an angry sperm whale sinking a whaling boat really needed to be told, better. I really didn't like the framing device in which, this movie is told. Yes, it was mostly alright, that the movie had the whale return, multiplies times after the sinking to show, how malevolently, the creature can be, but this isn't 1975's Jaws or even 1956's Moby Dick, which were fictional movie based on true stories. This movie was market as the true-encounter that inspired the myth of Moby Dick. You can't do really do that, if you're trying to be truthful, because it totally undermined and contradict the whole marketing message. For a film saying, it's the realistic account of that story, it has to portray the whale, more to what it truly is. A normal creature that only attack once, not a symbol of God's wrath. This film wasn't even close to being accuracy to the real-life events of the sinking of the whaling ship, Essex in 1820 at all. I'm surprise, by this, because it's based on Nathaniel Philbrick's 2000 non-fiction book of the same name; which in my opinion was very accuracy. Several aspects of the story was indeed missing like the burning of Charles Island & the resupply in Galapagos in this film. Plus, it didn't help that the film depart significantly, just to add a sub-plot where author Herman Melville (Ben Whishaw) goes to an old mariner, Thomas Nickerson (Brendan Gleeson) to get his account of the events, despite being aware of the story from whaler, Owen Chase (Chris Hemsworth). It really seem, pretty odd that Thomas Nickerson would know, a lot about Owen's relationship with his wife, and his boss, George Pollard (Benjamin Walker). It was a bit jarring. The film's biggest problem over the entire film was the pacing. It really took forever to get anywhere. A lot of the scenes were really drawn out & quite boring. Whenever, something interesting comes into play, the film sucks it out, by eventually abandoning the conflict; such was the case between how the ship should be run between Chase and Pollard, or the will to survive between Chase and the White Whale. It feels very anti-climax. The dialogue was also a problem. It was mostly dull exposition, with little to no character development in it. I really, didn't get to relate to anybody in the crew, as much, as I should had. I really thought, there would be great scenes that would give us, some insight on who these men, are. The movie could also work better, with some inherent adventurous epic maritime life music to it, even if it's a tragic showing. It would really lighten this movie, up. It would make the film, a lot more fun to watch. I love the use of CGI in this film. The whole whale attack really did stand out for the brief scenes, they had. It look really real to me. I also like how the film goes all bloody and grizzly in its portrayal of how ugly, the whaling business can be. Scenes like a young man being forced into a dead whale's head was pretty interesting in its gory worst. However, it was a bit weird for the PG-13 film to show that, but unable to show any scene of cannibalism during the surviving in the ocean parts. It seem like it was a bit sugar-coated. What the hell, movie! However, I do like the make-up work in this film. Some of the actors really did, looking like they were starving to death. That 500-600 calories diet that the actors had to do, was crazy. Acting wise, the film was also pretty good. Chris Hemsworth was the obvious standout, he was able to show off his acting talents quite a few times throughout the film, but still it was nothing truly astounding. It's sad that he can't show, much of his acting chops, beside those Marvel films. The supporting cast was also mostly pretty strong, with Benjamin Walker, Tom Holland, and Cillian Murphy standing out. Overall: How does In the Heart of the Sea compare to other tales of sea-voyage catastrophes? It was somewhat below average. While, braving storms, starvation, panic and despair, will call into question the man's deepest beliefs, from the value of their lives to the morality of their trade, I never really got to interested in the story to care if they live or not. While, this adaptation clearly had the big budget, it fails to connect emotionally with me, like similar films like 2000's Perfect Storm or 2012's Life of Pi. It's worth watching, but not much, replay value. See it, if you want to.

Very well filmed, the true story is more interesting than fiction

[phd_travel · 10/10 · 3 December 2015]

This stunningly filmed movie is about the true story that was the inspiration for Moby Dick. The movie is worth watching because it's so well filmed, the ocean cinematography is just breathtaking - it's almost enough to make you slightly sea sick. It's actually a better, more interesting and more horrific story than Moby Dick. The characters were imperfect heroes who made mistakes that led to the events.

The actors are well cast and their faces fit well into the time period. Chris Hemsworth looks very much like a 19th Century sea man if a bit larger than life as the first mate. Benjamin Walker has a face that looks very much like a 19th Century portrait of a New England man.

Last year Angelina Jolie's stranded at sea survival story "Unbreakable" gave us a taste of the thirst and horror of being without water. But this movie shows us more than thirst with cannibalism.

If like me you thought Moby Dick was boring, this movie is actually much more interesting. Worth watching on the big screen.

missing the heart

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 12 April 2016]

In 1850, writer Herman Melville arrives in Nantucket Island to interview Tom Nickerson (Brendan Gleeson) about the lost of the whaling ship Essex. Tom was a young man when he joined the ship. George Pollard is the inexperienced captain from an established family. Owen Chase (Chris Hemsworth) is the experienced first mate who is looked down on and driven to captain his own boat. Matthew Joy (Cillian Murphy) is Owen's mate. The ship travels beyond the regular hunted-out grounds and faces a truly dangerous whale.

Director Ron Howard delivers a visual experience combining an old oil painting and modern CGI. He adds in flares of closeups that is unique but not necessarily exciting. Some scenes remind me of an old 50s lifeboat movie. Some scenes are fully modern CGI. The action works well but it is simply missing the heart. It is missing the human emotion. It's the opposite of Melville's classic which is all about the human condition. The movie ends with the weakest of dilemma which nobody cares about. This should be all about an action survival movie. There are some beautiful looking but not that thrilling action scenes. The story could use a real villain and some more human conflicts.

Technically Proficient But Super Flat

[matthewssilverhammer · 4/10 · 18 December 2015]

Heart of the Sea is a mass-produced still-life painting: technically proficient but as flat as the canvas it's on. Technically, it's fine; the cinematography is interesting, the actors hit their marks, the sound is on point. But other than a few moments of nice humor and mild sea-faring thrills, the film lacks any spark. It's like director Howard and co. weren't that interested in creating an emotional, cerebral or exciting film, but more focused on simply getting the job done. The story of 19th century whaler Owen Chase (played by an oddly-accented Hemsworth), the influence for the literary classic Moby Dick, is a story worth knowing. However, the giant scale and obsession inherent in this tale is never fully conveyed, as Howard opts for computers and green screens, in lieu of the actual sea, to tell his story. So instead of a propulsive thriller or even a thoughtful psychological study, we get a generic and forgettable action/adventure, couched in boring characters. And much like the crew of the Essex itself, we are stranded in a seemingly endless sea of lackluster storytelling It also features some of the worst cinematic framing ever. Instead of just filming Moby Dick itself or just the story of real-life Owen Chase, they opt for a messy mash-up, constantly cutting away from the Essex's voyage to a recounting of the story to Melville; like bad narration taken to the nth degree. Even some marginally compelling moments showing the survival instincts of desperate people can't save this sinking ship. Watch Jaws, All is Lost, or Master and Commander if you want to take a worthwhile trip to the heart of the sea.

6/10

[Giacomo_De_Bello · 6/10 · 5 December 2015]

Whilst it isn't a worthy follow up to "Rush", which I deem one of the best pictures in recent years, "In the Heart of the Sea" had many elements that remind us why we love Ron Howard's direction in his best movies so much, yet it also reminds us of his faults in his lesser films.

First off and most notably: can we please, please stop having useless narration of people remembering events of their youth in true story pictures? There is so much wrong with this technique. Firstly, it is a cheap writing idea, secondly you simply aren't invested in the emotional core of the characters telling and listening to the story, they just don't have much to do for you to get attached, thirdly it breaks the pace a little to many times, and finally it shoves down your throat the emotional beats by the narrator telling you them instead of the story having breathing space to convey the emotions and it is absolutely annoying. This is one of those things that Ron Howard unfortunately trips a lot into, yet thanks to his charming direction he frequently manages to make it light and heartfelt, unfortunately not here.

To continue on negatives: weirdly, for only the first hour or so of the film, there are constant shots that feel out of place because of poor CGI. Firstly because CGI smoke already being a terrible idea in any place, is used to overkill, yet still, I lost count of moments where the movie was cutting fast in action or not and it was absorbing, then a shot was out, another three were great and then again another CGI mess. It was stunningly strange and even more so since it lasted for the first two acts only. Which also brings me to another negative point: the last part of the second act and the first part of the third were emotionless. I really don't know what it was because performances and visuals were across the board great, but that whole part just felt off, I got bored and almost fell asleep and then as soon as the part ends I was radiant again. I really don't know what it was, it was just sterile and unengaging for a chuck.

The rest was actually quite fascinating. The first hour is totally absorbing. Talking about what Ron Howard does so good, he is a director that really understands giving you a feeling of being there with the characters and this is no different, I felt aboard on the ship with them and through the storms. He knows perfectly well what to show us to get fascinated. Moreover there are some fabulous visuals in the film and really intense action sequences that grab you by the throat and don't let go until you're exhausted. Hemsworth as always shines as the leading man and he is supported by a well chosen cast.

Coming from a true Ron Howard fanatic I must admit I was disappointed with the film, there was a lot of buzz surrounding it and I expected to get another "Rush", that is probably why I focused so much on the negatives, yet still "In the Heart of the Sea" is a good movie and definitely something positive to add to Howard's already amazing resume. Lets just say that I would like to see him tackle again this type of film with big visuals and budget because I would really like to see him excel in this type of movie.

Great substance, terrible style.

[fabiolpinheiro1993 · 7/10 · 17 December 2015]

I had big expectations for this, the cast, the Director and a story like this, how could i not have? And...

Well it is far from meeting my expectations, but it's a good film overall.

The ensemble cast is amazing, and give great performances and the story is breathtaking. The screenplay isn't perfect, it could have done something more with the characters, something to make them more complete,and in the end you feel like there's a great beginning and ending but its missing a great middle. It's definitely missing something, the whale for instance, you never feel like there's a satisfying goodbye.

But the film is very interesting, and thrilling even if it just contents with being OK, rather than reaching the huge potential of an epic tale like this, that seems rather less epic that it definitely is. But what really fails? The director!

How a director like Ron Howard made so many wrong decisions is astonishing. The hue problem i had with the film, is its style. The camera movements for most of the time seem like were made by a drunk running. And then someone just had a huge day of fun, throwing every effect possible to make sure you couldn't see a thing.

Most of the time, the scenes are just extremely close ups, or the camera is placed in such weird places you only rarely see a normal shot. Then there's a game of focus and the acknowledgement of the camera, its the sea so they thought it would be a good idea to throw flares all over the screen, splash tons of water to the camera, and manny more effects like this, which makes almost impossible to see a thing, especially in the action scenes.

And on top of that the in many scenes it seems like they shot the film right in front of the sun! The shots they think are amazing are actually terrible, and you never get a truly great shot of the whale. There are rare shots that are beautiful, but the cinematography is one of the worst i've seen. There's tons of potential on a tale like this to make haunting visuals, and the action scenes are really great and thrilling, it's such a shame you cant see them properly. There's such a great film under all that visual style.

The sound is just perfect, as is the production design and production values overall, there's a very rich world and vistas, the special effects are great, but many times the cinematography just wastes them. The score has its moments, but is far from being what this story deserves.

Overall there's a greater film that the sum of its parts. The ensemble cast and the story being the best of the film, which i can't love because of its style decisions.