In 1850, writer Herman Melville arrives in Nantucket Island to interview Tom Nickerson (Brendan Gleeson) about the lost of the whaling ship Essex. Tom was a young man when he joined the ship. George Pollard is the inexperienced captain from an established family. Owen Chase (Chris Hemsworth) is the experienced first mate who is looked down on and driven to captain his own boat. Matthew Joy (Cillian Murphy) is Owen's mate. The ship travels beyond the regular hunted-out grounds and faces a truly dangerous whale.
Director Ron Howard delivers a visual experience combining an old oil painting and modern CGI. He adds in flares of closeups that is unique but not necessarily exciting. Some scenes remind me of an old 50s lifeboat movie. Some scenes are fully modern CGI. The action works well but it is simply missing the heart. It is missing the human emotion. It's the opposite of Melville's classic which is all about the human condition. The movie ends with the weakest of dilemma which nobody cares about. This should be all about an action survival movie. There are some beautiful looking but not that thrilling action scenes. The story could use a real villain and some more human conflicts.
Director Ron Howard delivers a visual experience combining an old oil painting and modern CGI. He adds in flares of closeups that is unique but not necessarily exciting. Some scenes remind me of an old 50s lifeboat movie. Some scenes are fully modern CGI. The action works well but it is simply missing the heart. It is missing the human emotion. It's the opposite of Melville's classic which is all about the human condition. The movie ends with the weakest of dilemma which nobody cares about. This should be all about an action survival movie. There are some beautiful looking but not that thrilling action scenes. The story could use a real villain and some more human conflicts.