WhaleFall

Synopsis:Following the death of his father, Jay Gardiner goes diving off the coast of California in search of his remains. He soon finds himself in a desperate fight for survival when he's swallowed whole by a massive whale. Trapped inside its belly, he must figure out a way to escape as his oxygen supply starts to run out. 

Movie Review: 

"WhaleFall," helmed by Brian Duffield and adapted from the novel of the same name, delivers a gripping survival story packed with relentless action. The premise is wild—you're trapped inside a sperm whale's stomach—and Austin Abrams brings a compelling performance that makes this flick genuinely entertaining. Sure, the father-son dynamic occasionally drags things down and feels a bit soap opera-ish, but it's still a solid watch. Abrams plays Jay Gardiner, the young son of a renowned diver, and unlike his old man, he's got a complicated relationship with him that fuels some of the drama. Despite that, Abrams absolutely kills it, spending most of the film stuck in a whale's belly where he's charismatic, funny, and gives off serious Tom Hanks in "Cast Away" vibes—basically the heart and soul of the whole thing. His dynamic with his mom, played by Elizabeth Shue, feels genuine; she's kind, caring, and clearly wants the best for her kids. I loved her in this, though I wish she'd had more screen time. Jane Levy and Emily Rudd round out the cast as his sisters, delivering charming and hilarious performances even though they barely get any scenes. Most of the action unfolds inside the whale's stomach as Jay fights to survive, and every underwater sequence is intense, thrilling, and visually stunning—the cinematography will seriously blow your mind. My main gripe? Josh Brolin's flashback scenes as the father. He's just unlikable, playing this tough, strong-willed dad character who comes across as cartoonish and way over-the-top throughout, which bummed me out since I'm usually a huge Brolin fan. "WhaleFall" is a fun, intense survival thriller with a fantastic lead, jaw-dropping underwater effects, but the dull father-son storyline holds it back. Still, I'm giving it 3.5/5 stars.

Director: Brian Duffield

Cast: Austin Abrams, Josh Brolin, Jan Levy, Emily Rudd with John Ortiz and Elizabeth Shue

Runtime: 106 Minutes