Back in April, at CinemaCon, I got to watch a first look at Whalefall, a totally new suspense survival thriller. And since then, I’ve been extremely hyped for what’s to come with this film. I genuinely love Austin Abrams in Weapons and Resident Evil, so I was more than excited to see him star in another “situation” film. Yeah… Austin is always in some type of “situation.”
“Follows a scuba diver who, while looking for his father’s remains, is swallowed by an 80-foot, 60-ton sperm whale and has just one hour to get out before his oxygen runs out.”
I must confess I did not expect this movie to be what it ended up being. I mean, it’s obviously a survival thriller with nail-biting moments that will make you squirm. But this film also has a very strong emotional side about grief and belonging, more than I thought it would. Austin Abrams’ Jay is such a great character. He’s suffering from the loss of his father, with whom he had quite a complex relationship… and this film is about him and his grief, and how being trapped inside a sperm whale connects to all of this.
This is a two-actor film, with Josh Brolin being the other one, who also delivers an amazing performance. It’s the second time we’ve seen Josh Brolin and Austin Abrams together in a film, and I’m so happy about it. But something that must be mentioned is how well done the scenes where Jay is inside the whale are. They’re so gruesome, tense, and agonizing. You’ll literally feel what he feels and go through what he’s going through. It’s amazing what they pulled off here… A lot of practical work.
The film wraps up pretty well with a very distinct third act. I think the film takes a more spiritual approach, and I don’t know if audiences will resonate with it as much as I did… The score is another highlight, quite impressive, and really enhances the survival experience, making it feel even more realistic and adding a lot to the film.
Overall, I think this film really managed to be exactly what I wanted it to be and more… Whalefall is a thrilling, gruesome, and unexpectedly emotional film about grief and survival. Austin Abrams delivers yet another great performance in a film that will have you biting your nails.
Whalefall releases in theaters on October 14.
