MOVIE – Winter, 1820. The whaler Essex leaves New England and heads for the Pacific. Months later, the ship is attacked by a gigantic whale that wrecks of the vessel. On board, Captain George Pollard, inexperienced, and his more hardened second, Owen Chase, both try to master the situation. But in front of unchained elements and front of the hunger, the men are overwhelmed by the panic and the despair. Ron Howard, the top American director in his last movie “In the Heart of the Sea”, tells the real story that inspired the “novel” Moby Dick, which is more of a human adventure than a classic “whaling tale.”

The story of a captain full of revenge against one big killer sperm whale: “Moby Dick,” Herman Melville’s masterpiece was published in 1851, and it became a classic of the American literature and also a success around the world. Like many Americans, Ron Howard had read the book in the school but ignored that a true story inspired the narrative, told by Nathaniel Philbrick in the book “The real history of Moby Dick” in 2000.

It is the Australian actor Chris Hemsworth, known for his “Thor’s” role, who pointed him out the script, which laid in a desk drawer in Hollywood for more than ten years. “I think that the technology allowing to recreate the sperm whale was not still available up there,” told Ron Howard during a meeting with the press to New York moves forward.

But by opening the range of possibilities thanks to the special effects, the director of “One man of exception” and “Apollo 13” knew how to keep the technology under control, so that it does not become the central figure in his movie.

The real thing

“At the heart of the Ocean” is of a breathtaking realism. It is at the same time a film of adventure nautical with an epic scope about survival – and more exactly a movie of survival after a wreck. The decorations are magnificent, and the reconstruction of the life on land and at sea in the XIXth century is also pretty good.

Same goes for the scenes of the wreck and the encounter with the famous sperm whale white, which is truly impressive. Concerning the wreck itself, it made me think about two movies: “Life of Pi” and “All is Lost.” Still, those two films are quite different.

“Life of Pi” possess a dreamlike side, and All is Lost was made in a way that is quasi–expérimentale (one actor, no word). Howard has a more classic way of filming and aims at the effectiveness of the spectacular scenes, full of emotions. He is using all the same some stylized enough plans – in dive, for example, but also close-up, etc.

We can see some similarities with “Master and Commander” – in particular for the representation of the social organization of the sailors. I am not an expert in navigation, but I have the impression that Ron Howard tried to be the most meticulous possible in his reconstruction of the whaler, and in his description of the work of the sailors, or the captain’s role on the ship. The hierarchy and the tensions that result from it, as well as the horrible choices that the survivors have to make, are shown well.

Quality acting

“In the Heart of the Sea” is also supported by quality acting. Ben Whishaw (in the role of the author of Moby-Dick: Herman Melville) and Brendan Gleeson both manages to get us interested and also to move us while technically they only tell a story by having some drinks.

It is the Chris Hemsworth‘s second collaboration with Ron Howard after “Rush”. And we have to admit that the director knows how to get the best out of his actor. Also, Hemsworth himself proves to us that he can play something else than Scandinavian gods. He does an excellent job in the role of the hero – a real hero, even if he has some questionable moral choices during the plot. The actor also underwent a remarkable physical transformation to play the castaway.

I found Hemsworth quite credible in his role of the sailor with an unfortunate heritage, who tries to rise in the naval company. As in “Rush”, there is an intense rivalry here: this time, the character of Chris Hemsworth opposes that of the captain, played by Benjamin Walker.

Let’s not forget the other excellent actors either: Cillian Murphy, and the least known Joseph Mawle (Kill your friends) or the young ones: Tom Holland and Frank Dillane (who was Voldemort teenager in Harry Potter) who are all striking in their supporting roles.

The make-up team also made an excellent work while showing the actors seem all thinner, dehydrated and hurt. We are far from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, or of “Cyclone in Jamaica”. The keyword here is realism. And of course, the “Big Fish”: this sperm whale albino white (without a name here) seems to us also very real.

A shocking reflection

When I went out from the screening, I was a bit shocked because of the sufferings of the characters. I also cannot understand the bad reviews all around the world because I liked seeing the genesis of Moby Dick. It’s also a bit of a reflection on the design of a literary work: where begins the fiction, where is the part of the truth?

Perhaps the story is a rather dry (like the whiskey the characters are drinking) but that was Howard’s choice to presents the events this way. The reconstruction of XIX ème century in the USA with the opening to the future with the arrival of the oil is also well handled.

While Howard’s flick is far from being the masterpiece, the “original” Moby Dick novel was (or even the John Houston adaptation) still, Howard delivers a well-done movie by telling us about a terrible maritime disaster.

-BadSector-