Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
Cast: Martin Sheen, Jonas Armstrong, Charles Furness, Adam Raynor, Jolyon Coy, Jassa Ahluwalia, David Gyasi, John Boyega, Ferdinand Kingsley, Paul Kaye, Chris Starkie, Andre Aguis, Joe Azzapardi, Macram Borg, Stephen Buhagiar, Jimi Busutti, Graham Charles, Aklileu Gudetta, Ian Shaw, Bolton White, Valentino Stojanov.
In amongst the seemingly endless repeats, festive cheer, tear-jerkers and the inane, sometimes a made for television film comes along in the run up to Christmas Day that is a sparkling jewel, a reason why television actually deserves its place in the lives of all, a piece of quality so rare that it has been worth being forced to listen to other people’s conversations about the latest celebrity gossip and ghoulish-like fascination of the box in the corner.
In The Whale, that programme has announced itself with charm, sophistication and overall captivating ingenuity and for anyone who has taken the time to read Moby Dick, Herman Melville’s outstanding masterpiece, the inspiration behind the story is a tale worth recounting, urging others to read and then watching as the terror of the ocean, the life on the wave and the pursuit of death becomes all too real.
Based upon the events in which caused the whaling ship, The Essex, her captain and crew to become involved in one of the single most remarkable sea-faring adventures in the 19th century, The Whale takes the spirit of adventure and the nature of revenge to an almost terrifying height. To immerse yourself into the thoughts of all those who were on the ship when the mighty beast struck back after seeing its mate destroyed, dismembered and desecrated in the name of profit, is to perhaps understand that whilst humanity believes itself to be rulers of the world, in truth, sometimes we are just mere insects in the paths of others.
With great skill, the writer and makers of The Whale make a compelling argument for more of these types of programmes to be made, especially on terrestrial television. The ability to make history interesting, the ability to show the madness that drives some to destroy and others to rise is quite simply incredible. Although the stars of the film were the CGI and make-up artists, who brilliantly captured the effects of so long adrift at sea and the ravages it places upon the human body, Jonas Armstrong, who finally fulfilled the promise of a very good actor that had been denied him as Robin Hood, and Charles Furness as the young Tom Nickerson captured the fear and tension in the hearts and minds of men to great acclaim.
A television treat that really doesn’t happen all that often in a world of endless game shows, reality television and commercials.
Ian D. Hall