If ever there were a movie to see without any knowledge whatsoever of what was to come, Whalefall would certainly prove to be one harrowing thrill ride. Now, I was quite aware of the premise going in. In fact, much of my high anticipation for this film was based entirely on what seemed like the level of effort going into making this impossible situation look as realistic as possible. How could one deal with being swallowed by a sperm whale? And what could a film do to maintain that level of tension for a reasonable runtime? The answers are more nuanced than some may expect, as Whalefall draws strength from its emotional core and strong performances from everyone involved, which support the amazing visuals of this thrilling adventure.
That said, the various cinematic universes featuring Austin Abrams are having a rough go of it lately. Last month he was evading zombies by the skin of his teeth in Zach Cregger’s wildly enjoyable Resident Evil. Now, here he is as Jay Gardiner, an ordinary college kid whose grieving activity to help him deal with the death of his father (Josh Brolin) is upset by the craziest set of events that one could conceive of enduring. While scuba diving, Jay is accidentally swallowed whole by a sperm whale chasing a giant squid that latches onto him in its own attempt to escape. When he wakes up and realizes his situation, Jay surmises he has less than an hour to escape the beast, forcing him to draw on memories of his experienced diver father to come up with ideas.
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Whalefall is based on a bestselling novel by Daniel Kraus, who adapted the screenplay alongside director Brian Duffield (No One Will Save You). While the ambition to visually realize being stuck inside a whale must have been a fun creative challenge, I was also impressed by how the story around the main action played out. Yes, given the spectacle surrounding Jay, adding anything else to supplement the story could have just been filler. However, it’s a credit to the writing and the effort to bring that element into the cinematic landscape that the film comes off as stronger.
As noted, before being swallowed up, Jay was going through a grieving period involving his deceased father. The film features flashbacks scattered throughout, showing Jay at different ages as he contends with a man whose unconditional love for his son was hampered by his personality. As a result, Jay may have learned a lot from his father, but it meant dealing with what could be considered toxic behavior that was ultimately left unresolved. While that relationship has unfortunate elements, Brolin is terrific as Mitt Gardiner. You get a real sense of the man from the way he carries himself, and it makes for a compelling angle, knowing he’ll be up against the whale of it all that drives most of this film.
In this insane scenario, it’s one of the best ways to use the phrase “movie magic” when you consider what this accomplishment is. The chase/swallowing sequence is incredibly thrilling. Even if most people know the plot and where Jay is headed, watching these events play out is still something. The visual effects are phenomenal. The tension is palpable as we watch Jay do everything he can to avoid being pulled into this whale’s gullet. And then you have to account for suddenly becoming familiar with the anatomy of a whale.
Once inside, the film becomes 127 Hours meets David Cronenberg. This nightmarish scenario centers on a side of nature humans aren’t supposed to see, yet there’s a weird beauty to what Jay witnesses. Whether or not this makes complete sense, the whale’s insides are lit by bioluminescence from the creature, and a helpful jellyfish during another intense section. Lying in the “throat” area for a majority of his stay inside the whale, seeing the production design find a way to suggest this whale is occasionally trying to chew Jay means watching this detailed set come to life in inspired ways for the sake of keeping the drama fueled by what’s generally found in creature features.
Plus, the variety of obstacles Jay faces keeps things immensely thrilling. As noted, the whale started this by swallowing a squid, which is still alive when Jay ends up inside the whale. The whale’s different chambers also pose dangers as Jay tries to navigate through them. And what about what’s going on outside the whale? Sperm whales may be huge, but they can be vulnerable on their own. This is all while also having to keep in mind that Jay only has so much air left in his tank, he’s constantly getting injured in some way due to the whale’s attempts to digest him, and there’s no way he’s going to plausibly get help from others above water to escape this scenario.
With the task of making this premise hold together, Abrams shines throughout. The physical toll this whale business takes on him absolutely hits hard. Compared to Resident Evil (both films are survival thrillers), Jay doesn’t have to land quips and observational humor every couple of minutes, so while it’s less “fun,” plenty of other touches keep the film grounded. He’s upset when he needs to be, accepts his predicament in the film’s darkest moments, yet can still see the wonder of a scenario he has no business getting caught up in. Without delving too far into where his state of mind takes him, I’ll say it’s a real credit to Abrams’ abilities as an actor that whatever additional choices he makes feel true to what the film sets up as thematically important.
This speaks for the plot as well. One has to expect a level of suspension of disbelief for a film where the logline is, “a young scuba diver must contend with being swallowed whole by a whale.” With that in mind, the film plays quite fair with what Jay faces mentally and physically once it enters its third act. Many movies, especially high-concept ones, cannot fully reckon with the stakes they’ve created. Whalefall does not succumb to this issue. Instead, it lets choices, exchanges, and other factors build toward a strong, earned conclusion.
While I can’t speak for the person(s) who somehow managed to see this movie without any prior knowledge, Whalefall absolutely delivered for me because it balances an intense struggle with something both traumatizing and affecting in the right ways. Visually, this movie is incredible. Whether inside the whale or not, the approach of using an entire animal as a series of well-crafted set pieces never stopped being impressive. The same goes for many units from this production that found clever ways to tie everything together, keep the momentum going, and make it all so watchable. That speaks to how well the drama hits alongside the obviously more intense whale action. For all that’s presented, I was more than willing to hold my breath; that said, preparing to be on the edge of your seat is something to plan for as well.
Whalefall opens in theaters on October 16, 2026.
