Whalefall survives whale but not critical scrutiny

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 14 Oct, 19:38 · Archive

The survival thriller Whalefall, about a man trapped inside a whale, has drawn criticism for implausible plot devices and execution.

Whalefall follows Jay, played by Austin Abrams, who embarks on a deep-sea dive one year after his father's death. While underwater, Jay becomes caught by a squid being consumed by a sperm whale, and is swallowed whole with only one hour of oxygen in his tank. Inside the whale, he must find a way out before his air runs out.

The film attempts to layer Jay's survival ordeal with emotional backstory. Jay had been estranged from his father, a beloved local diver played by Josh Brolin who was terminally ill and emotionally abusive. Metro notes that the survival thriller plays out against the backdrop of Jay trying to reconcile his guilt over not being present when his father died.

Critics have found the execution problematic. The New York Post describes the film as increasingly ridiculous, citing absurd survival techniques—including Jay fashioning a jellyfish into a flashlight—and questioning basic logic, such as how the whale's interior remains conspicuously well lit throughout. The reviewer suggests the film's setup and execution make it difficult to believe Jay is in genuine peril, undermining the thriller's central premise.

How it is being reported

• ‘Whalefall’ review: Man gets swallowed alive by a whale in preposterous survival movieThe dumb movie "Whalefall" lost me countless times over its increasingly ridiculous oceanic voyage.New York Post · 14 Oct, 19:28
• Whalefall is a thriller about being swallowed by a whale – it shouldn’t be this boringDoes Whalefall make a splash?Metro · 14 Oct, 17:00

In this story: Austin Abrams · Josh Brolin

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