121 minutes, Drama/Adventure, M

If you’re hoping to catch Chris Hemsworth in a film that isn’t a sequel, prequel or remake of any kind, any time soon, then IN THE HEART OF THE SEA is your only bait. With the likes of THOR: RAGNAROK, THE HUNTSMAN WINTER’S WAR and GHOSTBUSTERS swimming to Australian shores in 2016, our home-grown mega-star won’t have too many original works on offer coming up. IN THE HEART OF THE SEA chronicles the story and events that led Herman Melville to writing his highly regarded novel “Moby Dick”, in 1851. Herman (Ben Whishaw – Q from SPECTRE) visits the only remaining survivor of the Essex tragedy, 30 years after it occurred. Via extended flashback sequences, we witness the expedition of a group of whalers and their encounter with a monster-sized white whale.

Based on the non-fiction novel of the same name by Nathaniel Philbrick, IN THE HEART OF THE SEA floats in a similar boat to recent release EVEREST. Its ability to genuinely involve its audience and have any emotional impact will strongly depend on your willingness to lend compassion to a group of men placing themselves in an environment that is knowingly unpredictable and potentially dangerous, not to mention they’re out there to hunt whales! Tough ask! Thankfully, and unlike EVEREST, IN THE HEART OF THE SEA averts any confusion in deciphering one characters plight & fate from the next, and conveys where and when scenarios take place in a comprehensible manner. While scenes set at sea don’t produce the awe they promise or capture the mysterious beauty of the deep unknown as profoundly as it could have, IN THE HEART OF THE SEA engages when telling its story in poetic fashion and is quite entertainingly rendered for a passable two hours.

3 out of 5

IN THE HEART OF THE SEA – Film Trailer

Footnote to Parents
This is a film depicting a fight for survival in dying conditions, so survival themes along with some brief violence and blood is to be acknowledged for a younger and/or sensitive audience.

Moviedoc wishes to thank Harriet, Roadshow Films and Village Cinemas, Jam Factory for the invite to the media screening of IN THE HEART OF THE SEA.

Review by Moviedoc
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