Blackfish Review

Blackfish
Gabriela Cowperthwaite's documentary asks what led a captive killer whale to turn on its trainers three times.

by David Parkinson |
Published on
Release Date:

26 Jul 2013

Running Time:

83 minutes

Certificate:

15

Original Title:

Blackfish

Making potent use of harrowing archive footage and the penitent testimony of ex-trainers, this biography of 12,000lb bull orca Tilikum exposes the callous cruelty of water parks too commercially driven to accept research into the damage that confinement inflicts. The abuse Tilikum endured at the now-defunct Sealand in Canada is outlined in dismaying detail, along with the deaths he caused there and at SeaWorld Orlando. But this is as much about the human failings that allow such barbarism to continue unchecked. Informative, impassioned and damningly indicting.

Impassioned and disturbing, this doc matches The Cove for marrying cool intellect with real fire.
Just so you know, we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website - read why you should trust us