The Cove

When gripping reality collides with cinematic entertainment, the result can often be nothing short of brilliant. Such a glorious collision occurs in the new documentary The Cove, which chronicles the efforts of a group of environmental activists struggling to end the slaughter of dolphins in Japan. If you're having difficulty processing the idea of dolphin slaughter, then you're not alone. I had never even heard of this atrocity prior to this movie coming to my attention. Sensing that many people are in the dark about this subject, everyone involved in The Cove understands the initial importance of awareness.

But this is not simply a story about acknowledgement of a terrible tragedy, but rather a call to arms and a stunning portrait of how far some people will go to make a difference. The majority of the movie takes place in the small Japanese town of Taiji, where garish dolphin sculptures and whale-shaped tourist boats hide the hideous truth of the seemingly endless dolphin massacre. For several months of each year, a group of fishermen, acting in accordance with the Japanese government, travel out into the ocean and capture every single dolphin in sight.

They then trap the dolphins in a secure area and allow trainers to select which ones are eligible for life in a showy aquarium. Those particular dolphins are shipped off to various locations across the world, while the remaining ones are herded off to a nearby cove (the one referenced in the movie's title) and brutally slaughtered. Why are they killed? Just for the hell of it, I suppose. The meat is sold as food, but that seems to be more related to waste disposal than any sort of carnivorous desire. Most of the dolphin meat is sold under the name of other seafood, so the majority of those consuming it are not even aware of what they are eating.

To offer too much more information would spoil the long list of shocks and surprises packed into The Cove's lean 92-minute running time. But be forewarned that no amount of text or imagination can prepare one for some of the brutal footage on display here. The imagery is graphic and it must be noted that The Cove makes its point with an unmistakable visual voice. While the movie is sure to make some viewers uncomfortable at times, the story is presented in such a powerful way that it quickly becomes impossible to ignore.

The Cove has everything a great documentary needs to succeed: intriguing subject matter, engaging people at the heart of the story, and expert editing. But The Cove never coasts on any individual aspect of the movie, instead finding inspiration in every single moment that is displayed on screen. The subject matter alone is ripe for passionate storytelling, but every person in the movie that helps fight for this cause is so fascinating to watch, so hugely relatable, that the story takes on an unshakably human element that puts everything into focus.

One of the main activists featured in the movie is a man named Ric O'Barry, who is well known to the fishermen of Taiji, the majority of whom routinely thwart his attempts to uncover the truth. O'Barry's story is especially effective because he was the dolphin trainer on the 60s television series Flipper, which is now blamed for the worldwide obsession with bottlenose dolphins performing tricks in enclosed areas. O'Barry helped capture the five dolphins who jointly played the titular role and his participation in Flipper made him a very wealthy man. But eventually, O'Barry grew fed up with the idea of dolphins as performers and so he dedicated his life to the fight for dolphin freedom.

Watching O'Barry express deep regret for his participation in the creation of this industry lends additional dramatic weight to the onscreen conflict. When O'Barry pulls together a team of activists in hopes of exposing the extent of dolphin slaughter through hidden camera footage, The Cove becomes more satisfyingly suspenseful than most Hollywood thriller movies could ever aspire to be. The complexity of the mission is illustrated in such stunning detail that I felt entirely enveloped by the immensity of the situation.

There is not a false note in The Cove, not a single moment that feels askew. Director Louie Psihoyos (himself a part of the activist group) has constructed an unforgettable masterpiece that is so much more than even the most glowing summation can attest to. The emotional reach of this movie is so vast that it can appeal to almost anyone (although I'm sure the Taiji fishermen featured in the footage would not be so keen to see this finished version). This is not a movie meant only for activists or animal lovers, but rather for anyone with a passion in life.

The Cove is easily the best movie I have seen this year and quite possibly one of the best documentaries I have ever seen. The dramatic impact of the movie is staggering, so much so that I am afraid mere words cannot do it justice. But this is an amazing experience that demands to be seen and discussed. I can only ask that anyone reading this review make a point of seeking out this movie. The Cove is spectacular, harrowing, beautiful, sad, funny, and unbelievably moving. It is a movie that will stick with me forever, a towering display of modern cinema eloquently erupting on a human scale.