JΔΣΞS Β’s review published on Letterboxd:
In theaters December 11th.
Director Ron Howard's latest period-piece is set against the classic tale of Moby Dick. My screening was in the third dimension which surprisingly was more effective than most 3D films I've seen in the past few years. Howard takes full advantage of the format with experimental visual flourishes I don't quite remember from his previous filmography. Tricks such as placing scene-setting elements in extreme close up to the camera on one side of the frame while the actions plays distantly on the other side, go-pro like shots along the edges of the sails, the camera constantly moved and flowed and surprised in the best of ways throughout the first half of the story which contains the chase of the famed whale. The back half of the film slows down quite a bit and is more traditional Howard as the film quick-steps into survival story mode which ultimately drags the whole affair to a slow, emotionally thin conclusion. Still, the execution of the chase is so good that the back half gets a pass from me. If you need something to see before the force awakens in you then In the Heart of the Sea might be the ticket.
Will be discussed on a future Top 10 Last 10 podcast episode.