The Whale
Paladin (II) | Release Date: September 23, 2011 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
64
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 8 Critic Reviews
Positive:
5
Mixed:
3
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
80
The Hollywood ReporterTodd McCarthySep 22, 2011
The Whale is a thoughtful, philosophical, political and ultimately sad documentary that ponders the impulses behind, and advisability of, intense interaction between human beings and another smart species. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesSheri LindenSep 29, 2011
Thoughtful and moving, if often heavy-handed, The Whale follows the remarkable story of Luna and will appeal to animal lovers of all ages. Read full review
70
VarietyRonnie ScheibSep 24, 2011
When a baby orca strayed from its family pod near Puget Sound and showed up 200 miles away in Canada in 2001, it became the center of a long-running human drama by turns cute, inspirational, ludicrous and tragic, as documented in The Whale. Read full review
63
New Orleans Times-PicayuneMike ScottJan 5, 2012
What most saw as entirely charming behavior others saw as a nuisance. After all, a playful whale has a way of unwittingly damaging rudders and outriggers and outboard motors and such. Worse, wildlife officials saw Luna's behavior as potentially dangerous, for the people he encountered -- and for the whale himself. Read full review
63
Slant MagazineGlenn Heath Jr.Sep 19, 2011
When considering the best voiceover artists in cinema history, Ryan Reynolds doesn't immediately come to mind as an especially dynamic one. Read full review
60
New York Daily NewsJoe NeumaierSep 23, 2011
Parents should know that the ending makes the last moments of this family-friendly documentary as tough as "Bambi." But the lessons about friendship are gigantic, indeed. Read full review
60
Village VoiceBrian MillerSep 20, 2011
If your children love animals, by all means, take them to see The Whale. If you appreciate gorgeous scenery, the movie doubles as a picture postcard for the region. If you simply want to indulge in warm-and-fuzzy scenes of whale petting, this movie is also for you. What it is not, however, is remotely new. Read full review
60
Time OutAlison WillmoreSep 20, 2011
While The Whale indulges in hippyish sentiments about the connection between man and beast a little too often, the footage of Luna at play is singular and breathtaking. Read full review
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