Images courtesy of The Walt Disney Company.
It’s nice to see somebody else venture into the otherwise James Cameron-dominated field of underwater movies. While Whalefall (2026) is not without its flaws, it’s an incredibly fun movie.
The movie follows Jay (Austin Abrams) as he returns to his seaside hometown after the nautical death of his father (Josh Brolin). He vows to find the remains of his dad that are lost at sea and dives out to recover them. And he is then eaten by a whale.
The visuals for the first 20 minutes are bland, static and uninteresting, but that shifts as soon as Jay starts swimming in the ocean. While this eventually allows for a great contrast, it doesn’t make those visuals any less boring. The switch is night and day, exchanging stale shot/reverse shot scenes for beautiful vistas of seaweed and vibrant fish, and then the gross, anxiety-inducing and claustrophobic stomach of a whale. This forces Brian Duffield to ponder the question every man must ask once in his life: “How do I film a guy inside a whale?” Aaron Morton’s work as cinematographer really shines when Jay gets swallowed, creating a visceral and colourful film that immerses you in the terrible sensation of being eaten by a sperm whale.
Fresh off the heels of having a terrible time in the woods in Resident Evil (2026), Abrams changes things up by having a terrible time in a sperm whale. His performance balances bizarre slapstick comedy with horrifying dread, establishing him as a certified Gen Z scream king. Brolin’s portrayal of his gruff father is compelling but is clearly typecast as the role offers nothing to distinguish it from the many tough guy roles he’s played before.
The film’s three acts feel like three tonally different movies. What starts as a quiet reflection on familial relationships develops into a dark, gross, raimi-esque comedy before shifting into a serious and emotional finale. The third act has an interesting premise but overstays its welcome as there’s only so much exposition that I can stand from a CGI whale. The clear distinction between acts would make for an interesting structure, if two of them weren’t significantly worse than the other one.
The primary issue is the story; there’s too much of it. Whether this is the strained family drama at the start, or the overly sincere and cringeworthy reconciliation at the end that feels straight out of a Fast and Furious movie, the tonal inconsistency turns a cult classic black comedy into an enjoyable but flawed film.
Ultimately, Whalefall is a sappy and slimy movie, but for all its faults, there isn’t any other movie like it. While it ironically lacks depth, Duffield’s reverse Moby Dick is a blast to watch.
Whalefall opens in cinemas October 15th. For tickets and more info, click here.
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