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Director Ron Howard tackles the (more or less) true story that inspired Herman Melville to write Moby Dick. Chris Hemsworth stars as the determined first mate of the New England whaling ship Essex, which is destroyed by a mammoth white whale when the crew launches an attack on its family. The crew retreat to three small rowboats and enter survival mode against the elements, starvation, and continued encounters with the white whale itself as they begin to question how far they’ll compromise their morals to stay alive, and the morality of their occupation.
Howard is one of Hollywood’s most reliable directors, and In the Heart of the Sea carries his tradition of solid, character-motivated storytelling. While some characters and relationships aren’t as developed as one might like, the casting is strong. Hemsworth is probably the weakest link, his Australian accent and superhero physique always threatening to disrupt our suspension of disbelief that he’s a meager Nantucket farmer. But he commits to the role admirably, and spars well with the ship’s captain, played by Benjamin Walker, in the first leg of their journey. Cillian Murphy makes the most of his small role, playing Hemsworth’s best friend on the journey, and Tom Holland is effectively cast as a young crew member — and one of the few survivors of the story — who looks up to Hemsworth. An older version of Holland’s character is played by Brendan Gleeson in the narrative wraparound, as he reluctantly recounts the tale to Herman Melville, played by Ben Whishaw (Skyfall).
Those looking for action might be a little disappointed. While there’s a few whaling scenes and a storm sequence, In the Heart of the Sea is more of a thoughtful drama and survival story than a seafaring adventure. The digital environments and camera movements are sometimes less than convincing, though the white whale is always a believably imposing figure in its limited but impactful screen time. Animal lovers (like me) will be happy to know the film ultimately takes a ‘reverence for life’ stand on whaling, although one whale is killed and slaughtered along the way to making this point. Those viewing the film in 3D will enjoy a better-than-average post-conversion effort and a bounty of scenes that take advantage of deep and layered environments.
With Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones), Paul Anderson, and Frank Dillane.