"The Cove"

                                                                  The Cove


Directed by Louie Psihoyos, "The Cove" is a compelling documentary that exposes dolphin slaughtering and also severe human health threats in Japan. The documentary is captivating, compelling, and makes the viewer want to take action when they see the graphic and disturbing images the crew caught on tape. The documentary follows a group of activists, led by Ric O'Barry, who was once a dolphin trainer at Sea World. Ric has a change of heart after twenty plus years training dolphins and decides to start helping dolphin preservation across the world.

The documentary is disturbing at points, showing the mass slaughterings of the dolphins and the terrible practices they use against the animals. The cinematography is gorgeous, as the scenery in Japan is breathtaking. However, this documentary shows graphic scenes that are quite difficult to watch. Some shots are not that crisp, as they had to sneak around the government and it makes the viewer nervous just watching it. The activists in this group are relentless, and go against many Japanese laws to get the footage they were able to catch.

At some points, some of the members of the crew are arrested and the viewer becomes sad because you do get attached to them. Another important issue brought up in this documentary is not only the killing of dolphins, but that the Japanese food industry sells the meat. This is dangerous because the dolphin meat contains dangerous levels of mercury that can kill people. I personally love this documentary and think it is empowering to the public. After watching it I want to help stop the cruelty and spread the word. It is a very effective film and has a great message. It is very well made and the professional quality is commendable.