Few people caught this movie when it opened in early February, but that’s a real shame. I hope they catch this save-the-whales flick when it comes to DVD, although I do think the great Alaska visuals play best on a big screen.
What Works: Okay, so right off the bat I was thinking “Who really cares about these three whales and why are people spending all this time, money, and man power on it?” Luckily, the movie thinks the exact same way, as everyone involved is really “saving the whales” for their own selfish interests, whether it’s a reporter chasing a story that will get him away from Anchorage Alaska or a big oil tycoon (played by Ted Danson, who always knows how to make unlikable characters likable) who’s just in it for the public relations. And then the movie does something even more unexpected by slowly turning that self-aware cynicism into real feeling for those whales, and by the end I was as happy as every doofus onscreen. Also, as I mentioned before, the Alaskan scenery is beautiful.
What Doesn’t Work: This film won’t make a lasting impression. I only saw it a week ago and am struggling to remember much about it, but I do remember leaving in a pretty good mood so that’s something.
What I Would Have Done Differently: I’ll bet the studio exec who green lit this wished they done a lot differently, and probably starting with not making it at all. The movie lost money at the box office, so why kick it by suggesting a couple of little things it could have done to make itself better? For now, I’ll say that I would rather have kids watch this than any other family film out there–and yes, I have seen The Secret World of Arriety–and hope it finds its audience down the road.