The Cove

As has already been made abundantly clear by other reviewers, The Cove quickly establishes itself as an important and emotionally draining documentary that holds the viewer in rapt interest virtually from start to finish – yet it’s just as clear that the movie’s exceedingly (and appropriately) brutal subject matter ensures that it’s often quite difficult to sit through. Filmmaker Louie Psihoyos details the ongoing efforts of several activists, including former Flipper dolphin trainer Ric O’Barry, to put a stop to the annual slaughter of thousands of dolphins in Taijii, Japan, with a particular emphasis placed on the group’s attempts at surreptitiously placing cameras in and around a hidden cove where the majority of the killing occurs. There’s little doubt that Psihoyos does a consistently impressive job of infusing what could’ve been a dry documentary with bursts of cinematic flourishes, although it’s clear that the director’s decision to focus on O’Barry’s admittedly fascinating journey from trainer to activist proves instrumental in initially drawing the viewer into the proceedings. The consequent atmosphere of suspense attached to the team’s illicit nocturnal jaunts is far from surprising, as the viewer has become deeply wrapped up in the exploits (and hopeful success) of O’Barry and his ragtag group of environmentalists (and it certainly doesn’t hurt that Psihoyos offers up a selection of genuinely detestable villains, including the memorably-named “Private Space.”) The inclusion of a few admittedly less-than-enthralling digressions, as well as the rather needless application of thrilling music to certain sequences, ultimately proves easy enough to overlook as a result of the movie’s myriad of exceedingly positive attributes, with the haunting climax effectively ensuring that The Cove ends on as unforgettable and downright devastating a note as one could possibly envision (ie there are images contained within the film’s final stretch that will stay with the viewer for days and weeks afterwards). Far more impressive, however, is the degree to which The Cove leaves the viewer wanting to help the cause in some small way, thus cementing the movie’s place as an absolutely essential piece of work that deserves to be seen by as wide an audience as possible.

**** out of ****