'In the Heart of the Sea' brings a marine myth to life in a different way

The celebrated director, Ron Howard, proves his directorial prowess yet once again through visually compelling storytelling of an almost forgotten fantasy. In the Heart of the Sea, a masterpiece from the Angels & Demons director, will keep you hooked to your screens from the beginning till the end.

It is heartwarming to find out that the all-time classic Moby Dick was based on true accounts of the whaling sea vessel called the Essex that sank. In fact, the Black Doves actor Ben Whishaw who portrayed the author Herman Melville, went to interview the last survivor of the Essex so that he could pen down the legend of rampaging white whale for all of us.

While the storyline is gripping, the other factors that make the movie great cannot be ignored. The cinematography, make-up, and costumes, as well as special effects really set the correct tone of the era in which the film is based – not to mention the most apt music score.

In the Heart of the Sea is an epic based on true events from a bygone era

The cast is star-studded, their acting flawless. Chris Hemsworth as First Mate Owen Chase, Benjamin Walker as Captain Geroge Pollard Jr., Cillian Murphy as Second Mate Matthew Joy, Tom Holland as the younger Cabin Boy Thomas Nickerson, and the ever brilliant Brendan Gleeson as the much older and last survivor of the Essex are just the top names that make this movie so much fun to see.

The Extraction actor holds sway over much of the movie with his presence, but so does Benjamin Walker, who plays the not-very-experienced captain. We see both their character personalities clash from the very beginning which adds depth to the storyline.

Speaking of the story itself – we are given the account from the mouth of the older Tom Nickerson who survives the Essex. Brendan Gleeson, who appeared in The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, does a terrific job of reluctantly recounting the tragedy of the doomed Essex, its crew, and the events following its sinking.

The time in which the movie is set belongs to the era of the whaling industry. We see an expedition consisting of our heroes setting out to find their fortunes out in the open sea, but each one of them has their own dreams and aspirations. Though there are disagreements in the beginning, they band together to work for the common goal and later for survival as things unfold as they could never have prepared for.

Though we see a lot of action and drama, there are facts from history to be learned in this movie. The importance of the whaling industry, how oil was extracted from the whales that were caught, how humans have been harming the marine life for consumerism and their own profits, and how intelligent and vengeful these creatures can be – not the dull and mindless animals that we, maybe still, believe them to be. And in this reference the storyline starts to get interesting.

The combination of impressive animation, a dependable cast and a story that could actually be true makes up for an exciting watch. See our heroes explore the seas, face the dangers they come across, and make choices that no normal person would ever need to make.

At the end of all of it, In the Heart of the Sea is an amazing movie for sea lovers, history buffs, and thrill junkies everywhere.

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