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Blackfish

Blackfish

Documentary · 2013

Notorious killer whale Tilikum is responsible for the deaths of three individuals, including a top killer whale trainer. Blackfish shows the sometimes devastating consequences of keeping such intelligent and sentient creatures in captivity.

Movie details

Blackfish

“Never capture what you can't control.”

2013 Documentary 1h 23m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.9 / 10

Community rating

Notorious killer whale Tilikum is responsible for the deaths of three individuals, including a top killer whale trainer. Blackfish shows the sometimes devastating consequences of keeping such intelligent and sentient creatures in captivity.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Blackfish?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

The Cove

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The Cove tells the amazing true story of how an elite team of individuals, films makers and free divers embarked on a covert mission to penetrate the hidden cove in Japan, shining light on a dark and deadly secret. The shocking discoveries were only the tip of the iceberg.

Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy

Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy

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For decades, Freddy Krueger has slashed his way through the dreams of countless youngsters, scaring up over half a billion dollars at the box office across eight terrifying, spectacular films.

Being James Bond

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Documentary · 2021

Daniel Craig candidly reflects on his 15 year adventure as James Bond. Including never-before-seen archival footage from Casino Royale to the upcoming 25th film No Time To Die, Craig shares his personal memories in conversation with 007 producers, Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli.

Chasing Coral

Chasing Coral

Documentary · 2017

Coral reefs are the nursery for all life in the oceans, a remarkable ecosystem that sustains us. Yet with carbon emissions warming the seas, a phenomenon called "coral bleaching" -- a sign of mass coral death -- has been accelerating around the world, and the public has no idea of the scale or implication of the catastrophe silently raging underwater.

Ghost Elephants

Ghost Elephants

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In Angola's mist-shrouded highlands, three KhoiSan master trackers embark on a spiritual quest to rediscover the legendary "ghost elephants" of Lisima, creatures presumed lost but remembered in ancestral trance, ritual, and memory.

Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story

Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story

Documentary · 2025

The authorized documentary celebrating the film that redefined Hollywood, 50 years after its premiere. Featuring rare archival footage and interviews with acclaimed Hollywood directors alongside Steven Spielberg, top shark scientists, and conservationists, the film uncovers the behind-the-scenes chaos and how the film launched the summer blockbuster, inspired a new wave of filmmakers, and paved the way for shark conservation that continues today.

Titanic: The Digital Resurrection

Titanic: The Digital Resurrection

Documentary · 2025

Using cutting-edge scanning technology and state-of-the-art CGI, a team of experts creates the first high-resolution 3D digital twin of the Titanic wreck. Through a groundbreaking immersive investigation, they uncover the ship’s final moments, shedding light on the acts of heroism and cowardice aboard—and revealing the true story behind the sinking of the “unsinkable” ship.

Mission Blue

Mission Blue

Documentary · 2014

This documentary follows oceanographer Sylvia Earle's campaign to save the world's oceans from threats such as overfishing and toxic waste.

14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible

14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible

Documentary · 2021

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Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Hawkeye

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Documentary · 2022

Join the likes of Jeremy Renner, Hailee Steinfeld, Florence Pugh, and Vincent D’Onofrio as they reveal how Marvel Studios’ “Hawkeye” was conceived and created. Witness firsthand what it took to pull off the show’s pulse-pounding action set pieces, and discover how iconic characters from the pages of Marvel Comics such as Kate Bishop were adapted and brought to life for the six-episode series.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Gabriela Cowperthwaite

Written by

Gabriela Cowperthwaite · Eli Despres

D

Dean Gomersall

Self

S

Samantha Berg

Self

J

John Jett

Self

J

John Hargrove

Self

C

Carol Ray

Self

J

Jeffrey Ventre

Self

K

Kim Ashdown

Self

Court is in session

Put Blackfish on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.