Based on the book; In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick, this is the Moby Dick story.
The film begins with Herman Melville having travelled to Nantucket to interview Tom Nickerson, the only surviving crew member of the whaling ship, the Essex, that is still alive. Herman is looking for a first hand account for his novel he is writing, and Tom is he only hope.
Tom has never gotten over the harrowing ordeal they encountered, and has never told anyone the details, but has chosen to habitually drown his sorrow and guilt in drink, and the only reason that he tells Herman, is because of their need for the money he is offering them.
We go back some 30 years, to when Tom was a 14 year old cabin boy aboard the Essex, which was captained by George Pollard, appointed because of family connections. While Owen Chase, a veteran whaler and role model in Tom's eyes, is sidelined out of a job he was entitled to.
They sail off in high hopes, but as they journey on they find few whales. They carry onwards into the Pacific in hopes of finding more, but to no avail.
During a stop on Ecuador, they are told of an area 2,000 miles to the west where the whales are bountiful, the area was apparently guarded by a huge white whale. But the lure of meeting their quota and returning home with a ship full of oil outweighs the risk.
They are delighted to find the spot exactly as it was described, and waste no time getting on with the hunt. Their encounter with the white whale is the beginning of the end of their mission. The white whale was more aggressive and stronger than they could ever have imagined, and they realise that they are lucky to get away alive.
The rest of the movie is about their desperate attempt to get to land and eventually back home. Sadly; not all of the crew members survive, but Toms recount of them honours their time together and brings some closure to Tom.
Action packed, fill of suspense and drama, I highly recommend this movie, and am sure you will be impressed as I was by it!
Title: In the Heart of the Sea
Length: 2 hours and 2 minutes
Age restriction: PG 13
Genre: Action, Adventure and Biography
Date of release: 11 December 2015 (USA)
Actors: Chris Hemsworth, Benjamin Walker, Brendan Gleeson, Ben Whisham and Cillian Murphy.
