Blackfish

Name: Blackfish
Genre: Drama, Documentary
Released: July 19, 2013
Duration: 83 min
Rating: 83
Cast: Dave Duffus, Dean Gomersall, Samantha Berg, Tilikum

2013

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 33 Critics

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 124 Ratings

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8.3

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8.3	User Score Universal acclaim based on 124 Ratings

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BLACKFISH

Movie Details & Credits

Magnolia Pictures | Release Date: July 19, 2013

Starring: Dave Duffus, Dean Gomersall, Samantha Berg, Tilikum

Summary: While in captivity, Tilikum, a performing killer whale, has been responsible for the deaths of three people, including a top orca trainer. Blackfish shows the sometimes devastating consequences of capturing and confining such intelligent and sentient creatures.

Director: Gabriela Cowperthwaite

Genre(s): Drama, Documentary

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 83 min

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Awards & Rankings

24	#24 Best Movie of 2013

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Critic Reviews

100

Tampa Bay Times - Steve Persall

Aug 15, 2013

Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite creates a fascinating character study of Tilikum, part of a revered species without a single confirmed kill of a human in the wild. Captivity is where Blackfish's evidence continually points the blame for Tilikum's deadly behavior. Read full review

100

Variety - Justin Chang

Jun 4, 2013

Righteous, captivating and entirely successful as single-issue-focused documentaries go, Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s film draws on startling video footage and testimonies from former orca trainers, building an authoritative argument on behalf of this majestic species. Read full review

Village Voice - Alan Scherstuhl

Jul 16, 2013

The movie is revealing, wrenching, and important, a reminder that what feels wrong in our gut—the effort to turn free-roaming and unknowable beasts into caged vaudevillians—is always worth investigating. Read full review

Time Out - Joshua Rothkopf

Jul 16, 2013

Blackfish, a troubling exposé of Sea World’s hazardous entertainment trade, does much to restore a realistic sense of danger, interviewing former park workers who detail their shoddy, nonscientific training, and chronicling the much-suppressed history of whale-on-human violence. Read full review

The Telegraph - Jenny McCartney

Aug 3, 2013

As an indictment of the industry, this is strong stuff. Read full review

Christian Science Monitor - Peter Rainer

Jul 19, 2013

One glaring question the film doesn’t raise: Why, given his history, is Tilikum still entertaining in sea parks? Read full review

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) - Geoff Pevere

Jul 18, 2013

As more than one orca expert points out in the film, when you take a creature born to roam thousands of miles of open water and stick it in a pool to do tricks, there’s going to be some behavioural blowback. In Tilikum’s case, it’s actually described as a form of induced “psychosis.” Read full review

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User Reviews

swetepi

Jul 20, 2013

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. excellent documentary exposing the harsh brutality of SeaWorld who ruthlessly abuses Orcas and hides what they are doing to the public. Reveals how SeaWorld negligently exposes naive trainers to fatally dangerous situations in which several young trainers have lost their lives.… Expand

7 of 8 users found this helpful71

Henry_b1

Feb 12, 2017

An excellent and riveting documentary that covers all bases - that's all that there is to say! I really enjoyed the watch and it made me think and contemplate.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

jfk049

Jan 4, 2014

An effective piece of filmmaking. I now want to do something to help these beautiful giants. There's so much disturbing evidence displayed here to show the cruelty inflicted on these creatures, as well as a real understanding of the orca's emotional intellect and sense of family, thatAn effective piece of filmmaking. I now want to do something to help these beautiful giants. There's so much disturbing evidence displayed here to show the cruelty inflicted on these creatures, as well as a real understanding of the orca's emotional intellect and sense of family, that you can't walk away from this and not be affected. Which is what all good documentaries are supposed to do. Well done.… Expand

4 of 4 users found this helpful40

MrMovieBuff

Feb 13, 2017

'Blackfish' is a chilling and disturbing, if not, revealing, documentary about how these Killer Whales were forced into being the main attraction at Sea World. Anybody who is not aware of these incidents where many trainers were killed by these mistreated Whales should see this before taking'Blackfish' is a chilling and disturbing, if not, revealing, documentary about how these Killer Whales were forced into being the main attraction at Sea World. Anybody who is not aware of these incidents where many trainers were killed by these mistreated Whales should see this before taking a trip to a place like Sea World. It's a documentary that makes you think, and one that you will never forget.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

BrianMcCritic

Dec 31, 2013

This is a devastating look at how these Killer Whales are treated. This was a difficult watch with many tears shed for these majestic creatures. I know this has affected Sea World's business and rightfully so. A-

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

Kelliente

Nov 3, 2013

Explores the specifics surrounding the OSHA/Seaworld trial thoroughly and brings to light issues I didn't even know existed. Interesting and enraging story that really changed my viewpoint on parks like Seaworld.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

bwall-e

Dec 13, 2013

This film was a huge disappointment. It lacked a clear focus and was not at all what it claimed to be. This seems more like a sideways attempt to sling mud at SeaWorld in a circumferential manner, though it seems this claim may have some merit (there seems to have been some deliberate orThis film was a huge disappointment. It lacked a clear focus and was not at all what it claimed to be. This seems more like a sideways attempt to sling mud at SeaWorld in a circumferential manner, though it seems this claim may have some merit (there seems to have been some deliberate or negligent mismanagement). This film is nothing like the great Planet Earth series.

I would not recommend you watch this film.… Expand

0 of 8 users found this helpful08

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