In the Heart of the Sea
In the winter of 1820, the New England whaling ship Essex is assaulted by something no one could believe—a whale of mammoth size and will, and an almost human sense of vengeance.
Critics Sentiment
The massive white whale rams and destroys the Essex
Pollard's cousin Owen Coffin draws the short straw for sacrifice
The film plunges from the transcendent whale encounter (8.9) to the horrific cannibalism and sacrifice sequences (4.2), a drop of nearly 5 points
Critics praised Ron Howard's visual spectacle and authentic maritime atmosphere, particularly the stunning whale attack sequence, but found the human drama lacking in character development. The film succeeds as a procedural and survival story with impressive effects, but struggles to make audiences emotionally invested in most characters beyond Hemsworth's Chase. While the whale sequences earned universal acclaim, the darker survival elements felt less impactful than they should have been.
Full cast
Showing 20 of 28
Chris Hemsworth
Owen Chase
Benjamin Walker
George Pollard
Cillian Murphy
Matthew Joy
Brendan Gleeson
Old Thomas Nickerson
Ben Whishaw
Herman Melville
Michelle Fairley
Mrs. Nickerson
Tom Holland
Young Thomas Nickerson
Paul Anderson
Thomas Chappel
Frank Dillane
Owen Coffin
Joseph Mawle
Benjamin Lawrence
Edward Ashley
Barzallai Ray
Sam Keeley
Ramsdell
Osy Ikhile
Richard Peterson
Gary Beadle
William Bond
Jamie Sives
Isaac Cole
Morgan Chetcuti
Sheppard
Charlotte Riley
Peggy
Nicholas Jones
Pollard Senior
Donald Sumpter
Paul Macy
Richard Bremmer
Benjamin Fuller
Crew
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