Exposé documentaries, of all subject
matters, are usually relegated to television schedules. There is something inherent within the
televisual medium that perfectly propagates hour-long reporting of a scandal or
a tragedy that has evolved over a clear legacy of broadcast news /
non-fiction. This proud heritage makes
it even more poignant when an obvious exposé with such a televisual structure
and subject matter crosses over to the cinema.
Blackfish tells the story of Tilikum, a
12,000-pound Orca Whale that performs at SeaWorld. He was captured in the wild around Iceland in
1983 when he was just 2ft long and immediately transported to a small aquarium
in Canada. After a few years of
captivity he was involved with the death of a trainer so was sold to SeaWorld,
Orlando where he has been ever since.
Since he has been there though he has been involved in the death of two
further people.
The film explains the process of
capturing killer whales and teaching them to do tricks, as well as exploring in
detail the reactions that were undertaken by the corporation after the
fatalities. The filmmakers are
attempting to make the case that there were steps that could have been taken to
prevent these tragedies, but safety measures where ignored in order to increase
profits…
Early on there is an interview with one
of the fisherman who first captured the baby Orcas in the 1970s. He tells the
story of having to slice open the baby whales that died during the capture
operations and fill their bodies with rocks to sink them, an ugly and illegal
act. This horrible image sets the tone
for what is to come, but nothing prepares you for the terrifying amateur
footage of the whales turning on their trainers – For someone who knew nothing about
the cases and how many people had been killed, watching the footage and not
knowing what is about to happen is truly horrifying.
The reference to television above is not
intended as an insult, the documentary is incredibly effective as a feature
length film and is very cinematic at times. There is a clear narrative that introduces the
passion and sincerity of the retired trainers that are interviewed, before
moving on to the campaign to improve safety in the parks and finally on to the
harrowing deaths/near-misses that have occurred.
The editing of the documentary is
extremely gripping, especially during the collages of TV news footage that
explain the fatal tragedies that occurred.
The footage is edited together in such a way that reporters finish each
others sentences, poignantly highlighting the saturation of coverage that the
incidents got from the mainstream media: a saturation that was predicted from
SeaWorld and led them to misrepresent what had happened and blame the trainers
other than the whales. This deceit goes
against all of the available evidence and science about whale behavior, which
has led to a huge backlash against
the company in recent years – even
more so since this film was released.
The reply to this opinion from SeaWorld
apologists (SeaWorld do not feature in the film as they refused to be
interviewed) is that the whales are better off in the parks as they medical
treatment and protection. Yet the
footage of them with scars from the aggressive behaviour they display in
captivity, plus the fact that they are sold to Spain and flown (!) to Tenerife
just shows how miserable their lives can be.
Blackfish is a film that has the
potential to destroy a billion dollar industry.
For this reason, I can do nothing but endorse this film…
Logic supports the idea that exposure to marine mammals, specifically through Sea World visits, has created a higher awareness & appreciation of, understanding of, and concern for, otherwise unseen mammals, within a swath (very possibly a large swath) of the park's attendees. An interest they might carry for life and one that influences future behaviors as a result.
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