That Sneak Peek Moment In The Heart Of The Sea Trailers

Film: In The Heart Of The Sea

What We Know So Far: Inspired by the true events that led Herman Melville to write the literary classic, Moby Dick, In The Heart Of The Sea tells the tale of the aftermath, after the great white whale has taken it’s vengeance and left the remaining crew alone at sea to fend for themselves. Three trailers have been released so far, each giving a bit more about the story and characters. 

The Trailer: (Official #3)

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L4KvJv_O-c?rel=0&controls=0&showinfo=0&w=560&h=315]

Our Take

David: While the book is a dense, difficult but very satisfying read, it has been the source for a number of film adaptations, some good some not. Director Ron Howard looks to give it a fresh spin, along with some epic special effects and a great cast that has an interesting realism mixed with fantasy feel. Indeed, that is the real draw to the trailer. It looks spectacular and is equal to or better than what Peter Weir accomplished with Master and Commander. I love high seas adventure stories and though the ‘true story’ part is surely stretched to its limits, this tale (tail?) is certainly engaging and looks to be a good time as the movies.

Dan: The scale in this action-packed survival story looks massive. There are a variety of enticing set pieces in this short trailer. We see the crew deal with flying anchors, falling masts, fiery explosions, (oh yeah) and a whale. The vengeful whale rams their ship to pieces, and stalks them as they try to survive on escape boats. It looks like Chris Hemsworth and his crew have hunted down and killed nearly an entire family of whales. The lone survivor hunts them back in what should be an incredibly intense battle. Director Ron Howard manages the CGI-fest rather well. The gigantic whale is quite an impressive feat of technology. Some CG camera work is pretty amazing, like the overhead shot of the whale lining up three boats in a row to pulverize. Adventure on such a grand scale and a powerful premise are the real tantalizing draw here.

What to Watch for in the Trailers

David Says: No doubt the whale itself is the big deal, and it sure looks menacing and mythical enough to do the job, but that Sneak Peek Moment comes in Trailer #2 in a small scene that does not involve the whale, at least directly. Taking place after the encounter, there are three lifeboats floating at sea and another man has a pistol drawn on Owen Chase (Chris Hemsworth) the captain of the doomed ship. He demands that Chase say he his scared, shouting at him while cocking back the pistol hammer as others look on. Chase just stands there, bobbing up in down as the boat rocks on the waves. He is unmoved by the aggressive gesture and simply says, “I will not.” It’s a powerful little moment that can get lost in the spectacle of the trailer, but reveals a lot about what we can expect from the character.

Dan: Moby Dick’s Ahab was obsessed, and it looks like Hemsworth is too. We see him go from clean shaven optimism, to grizzled and worn pessimism, as this journey takes place over an extended period of time. He has been hunting this whale for so long, but the animal won’t stop. It’s a battle of wills. My Sneak Peek Moment comes in Trailer #3 (above) when they look at one another eye-to-eye. Hemsworth has his harpoon aimed and ready. He hesitates, as he catches the great beast’s eye. Is this when Hemsworth finally considers what he’s done? Now that he can kill the whale, does he realize he doesn’t want to? It’s a poetic scene that requires some reflection. The story is sure to frame this Moment in a broader context. I’m expecting this to be a very powerful scene in the movie. It shows this adventure probably isn’t just gung-ho action, it will also be about respecting our connection to Nature and the power of the Natural World.