97% Blackfish

All Critics (73) | Top Critics (23) | Fresh (71) | Rotten (2)

Informative, earnest, but less than briskly paced.

"Blackfish" makes a compelling case that the cruelty of life in captivity is the cause for a rash of fatal attacks by orcas on their trainers, aggressive behavior that no so-called killer whale ever has exhibited in the wild.

Its ultimate message is clear: Killer whales belong with their families in their natural habitat, not performing for audiences. After listening to this film's many impassioned voices, it's hard to argue.

It not only delivers astonishing, suspenseful footage that makes it a legitimate thriller, but also serves up thoughtful meditations about using wild animals for our own entertainment.

It's hard to imagine anyone coming out of this movie and not swearing off the next vacation trip to Orlando, San Antonio or San Diego.

Unfortunately, this feels like a ten-minute news segment blown up to theatrical proportions.

An engrossing look at animal behavior.

It is gripping and thought-provoking.

As enlightening and passionate as the picture is, Cowperthwaite fails to summon the type of comprehensive journalism this type of story deserves.

The one save-the-whales movie to see when you only have time for one.

There aren't too many animal-rights documentaries that could be described as "metal," but Blackfish, one part horror movie and one part nature film, fits the bill and then some.

Cowperthwaite juxtaposes to devastating effect official PR spin with news reports and eye-witness accounts of marine park tragedies.

[An] impressive, often gripping documentary ...

Engrossing when offers alarming CSI-type forensic analysis into the death of a whale trainer [but] the narrow focus on SeaWorld raises more questions that aren't considered.

Through interviews with whale scientists and several former Sea World trainers, [Cowperthwaite] paints a disturbing picture of the profit-minded climate of deceit that prevailed at the company.

Puts 'killer whales' into wildlife and humanitarian perspective while giving you all of the dangerous action sequences you could possible want. Free Willy, it ain't.

Blackfish marries biography, activism and psycho thriller into a pleasing cinematic shape, starting with a single whale and the trainers who worked with him.

Some of the archive footage is exceedingly harrowing, but the case against commercially condoned cruelty is made without sensationalism, and few will be able to watch this without a growing sense of outrage.

Cruelty begets cruelty and whales don't belong in the circus.

It is never less than gripping, and devastatingly undermines the notion of performing whales as wholesome family entertainment.

Damning and disturbing viewing.

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Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/blackfish_2013/

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