Blackfish: Fúria Animal

The documentary "Blackfish" just premiered at Sundance to much deserved rave reviews. It's a compelling story of a 12,000 pound orca who has been in captivity since 1983 when he was captured at the age of two. New footage and interviews with trainers who worked at SeaWorld (and left disillusioned) add dynamic interest to the overall question of whether or not these wild intelligent sentient animals should be kept in captivity. This is a story that will have you questioning what you thought you knew. See "Blackfish" if you're interested in orcas; see it if you're interested in the truth; see it for no other reason than to find out why SeaWorld doesn't want you to see it. This film moves with the fluidity of a wild orca in the ocean. Don't miss out on seeing "Blackfish" because it's going to change the way you think.

Greetings again from the darkness. Dogs, cats, fish, birds, hamsters, ferrets, snakes, and even pigs. We love our pets. We also love our zoos, city aquariums and SeaWorld parks. For many years, we have chosen to believe that the research and educational advances that come from these outlets outweigh any of the negatives involved with keeping wild animals in captivity. Filmmaker Gabriela Cowperthwaite shows us (by focusing on SeaWorld) that it's way past time for us to open our eyes to the cruelty involved with the capture and training of wild animals for entertainment purpose.

The points made here are not speculation. We witness numerous interviews with "former" SeaWorld trainers. It's clear these people thought they had a bond with their co-performers. Most never even mention the term "killer whale" ... the common moniker for the majestic creatures better known as Orcas. The interviews have great impact, and when combined with startling TV news clips and footage from audience members, it becomes obvious that the huge profits and entertainment offered to families, are quite frankly generated by an immoral and inexcusable business model.

Most of the story is tied together by the 2010 death of super-trainer Dawn Brancheau by Tilikum, the largest Orca in the SeaWorld group. What we soon learn is that Tilikum was captured in Iceland waters at the age of three, and has since had many incidents resulting in injuries and even three deaths. It's also stated that Tilikum is the head of the family tree for the majority of SeaWorld's performing Orcas.

Of course, no one can or should blame these incredibly intelligent and emotional and family-oriented creatures. Everything about their existence goes against their natural habitat and way of life. The real issue is ... just because we CAN capture and train these animals, does that mean we SHOULD? If the focus is profits, then the answer is apparently yes. If instead, the focus is respecting nature and valuing other species, then the answer is much different.

The Cove and Project Nim are two other documentaries that come to mind when thinking about filmmakers attempting to expose the danger in training wild animals. Watching this story had me hanging my head like the fisherman from the 1970's as he helped capture a young whale, as the family members swam nearby crying and screeching. Let's hope director Cowperthwaite's screams are heard. See this movie before deciding to visit another SeaWorld (who couldn't be bothered to comment on camera). There are better ways to teach your kids about nature and there are certainly less cruel forms of entertainment.

Like many I guess, I've seen and considered myself entertained by the sea creatures at Sea World. I was aware of the death of one of the trainers at one of these shows from some years ago but put it down to being an occupational hazard, a tragic but accidental death. This well-made, provocative documentary takes that sad story as its starting point and digs deeper, painting up a tawdry tale of greed, deception and apparent wilful abandonment of care by the named entertainment company, which significantly declined to comment on any of the major accusations lodged here.

From the horrible death of the female trainer in 2010, caught on video, but mercifully cut before she is actually killed, the production traces back the story of the only too well named killer whale and its history of previous attacks on other trainers, caused, allegedly by years of mistreatment of the animal. Sea World's part in a similar European tragedy involving the death of a Spanish trainer only adds to the charge sheet.

A host of former trainers now recanting their previously parroted company-speak of how well the animals are treated is a particularly effective device, but there's much good detective work besides. Most of all, the film isn't afraid to point the finger at the multimillion dollar corporation Sea World and while I hesitate to come to a judgement without the accused exercising the right of reply, it's hard not to conclude that this was an accident, if that's the correct word, waiting to happen.

The film is happy to confine its aim to Sea World alone, but I'm sure I'm not alone in reconsidering my position on the capture and training of animals for our entertainment not only in water parks, but also of course in circuses and zoos.

A sad, sobering, look into an unacceptable mode of entertainment which has surely had its day.

I saw this documentary at the Sundance film festival London. I travelled down from Manchester as i could not wait for the Uk cinema release. After Seeing The Cove in 2009 after swimming with Captive Dolphins myself in 2006 to get over a family bereavement x 2. I never knew what dolphins did in captivity - just that it was one of the things i wanted to do before i die. After seeing them entertain people again & again, eat dead fish & float in a small tank all day i needed to see the pain Orcas go through. I'm glad Blackfish has been made. YOU need to see this film if you love mammals & any other intelligent animal in captivity...My eyes were opened at The Cove....if this doesn't then you are very selfish....Money is defo the Rule of all Evil. I will be taking all my friends & family to see this. After 5 days I am still thinking about it & can't believe these parks are still open :(

I had heard about this film long before I got to seeing it; there are a couple of very liberal media outlets that I use and this film was very much promoted on them – so I had heard good things but was conscious that it was maybe from an easy audience sector. Anyway, I knew enough about it to be pretty sure that we wouldn't be hearing much from Seaworld in the film itself and indeed at the end it is confirmed that they refused to be interviewed for this film. Many have pointed out that this makes the film rather one-sided, but personally I do not think that having an official Seaworld presence in the film would have made much of a difference to that and to be honest it is probably for the best that they didn't get involved.

I say this because, although it is not too unfair or aggressive, the film really is a polemic rather a passive documentary; the case is made in a systematic and effective fashion, building the case and it does it in a way that is really hard to not be affected by. The film is at its best when it is as much of a documentary as it can be – so informing the viewer of the nature of orca whales in the wild, their community and their connections, because this then informs us about the actions taken to separate families from one another – and like the massive butch guy who can barely talk about doing it, it is hard not to be really moved by the idea and the reality. Other such contrasts are well done, such as the statements on lifespan etc, however the film doesn't always do it as well.

Relating to the older actions (and the illegal ones in particular), the film is a bit unfair to present these next to a silent Seaworld – I know they are not involved but it would have been nice to hear the film confirm if they had ever admitted wrong doing etc. Just mentioning it and moving on makes it look like it was gotten away with, never addressed looking back etc. The interviews with the ex-trainers are all pretty engaging and emotive but there is a lot of personal statement and issues-driven passion in there; this is fine but it means the film has to do a bit to make sure it remains a documentary – I think it could have done more in that regard.

These are flaws in the film as a documentary but even with these it is hard to really take the subject and conclusions to issue. It builds its case well, presenting the base of cruelty and the impact to trainers and animals of the Seaworld shows. It does push too far to one side and it doesn't really give you food for thought so much as conclusions, but it is an impacting film and it is hard for me to really take issue with what it is saying even if I had reservations over how it says it.