Reuters
source: Reuters
Director Brian Duffield describes his new survival thriller “Whalefall”, in which a teenager is swallowed by a sperm whale, as “the opposite of ‘Jaws'”.
“I think in a lot of ways the whale is the hero of the movie,” Duffield told Reuters at the film’s London premiere on Monday, adding that whale experts had welcomed the film and hoped it would encourage audiences to learn more about the mammals.
Based on Daniel Kraus’ 2023 novel, “Whalefall” follows teenager Jay, played by Austin Abrams, who dives off California’s Monastery Beach in search of his late father’s remains. During the dive, he is swallowed by a sperm whale and must find a way to survive and escape.
Hollywood star Josh Brolin, who plays Jay’s father, said he hoped the film would have a very different impact from Steven Spielberg’s shark blockbuster.
“I hope (people) want to go home and hug their families and…realise that we have a short time here and might as well utilise it the best we can,” he said.
Beyond its survival story, the film explores grief and a complicated father-son relationship, themes that Brolin said partly drew him to the project.
