In The Heart of The Sea * * *

Not quite Moby Dick: but one can not complain, as that’s a self declaration in its promotion.

It’s the story of how Herman Melville received the story of Moby Dick. It was narrated to him by an aging cabin boy years after the event.  He tells the story to Herman through the night and finally gets off his chest the the abominable act he committed. (and I’m not talking about killing whales).

As we listen  to the story that is being narrated we fade to a re-enactment and meet Captain Pollard and First Mate Owen Chase and Thomas. So these are the characters that inspired Herman Melville to create Captain Ahab and Ishmael etc. It goes to show what a good job Herman Melville did, because this lot are a fairly two-dimensional bunch.  

Anyway, the thing that really matters is the whale that inspired Moby Dick, and this baby makes Jaws look like a sardine.  He is a beautiful and terrifying creation and the best part of the film.

By the time he comes along his frightening appearance is very welcome.

But I wonder if the cast are somewhat uninteresting because director Ron Howard didn’t want us to like them too much. That way, we don’t really give a damn about the great whale getting stuck into them. And get stuck into them he does!  

In some ways it’s the kind of fight back and bloody vengeance you’d like to see whales of today dish out.  Kharma.

Even though it is set historically, now that we know, the pointlessness, ugliness and brutality of whale hunting, we can’t help but cheer the Great White on as he gives the whalers the thumping they deserve. Actually, I think that's what In The Heart of The Sea really wants us to do.