Blackfish (2013) on Netflix
PG-1320131h 23mDocumentary
Tilikum, an orca captured off Iceland in 1983, has been involved in the deaths of three people. Former SeaWorld trainers describe the conditions that shaped him.
- Netflix4.3/5
- IMDb8.1/1077,067 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes98%
Trailer
Plot summary
Tilikum is a male orca taken from the sea off Iceland in 1983 and kept in marine parks, where he has been involved in the deaths of three people, including a trainer at SeaWorld Orlando in 2010. The documentary follows his life in captivity, from Sealand of the Pacific to SeaWorld, and asks what years of confinement, performance and breeding have done to him. Former trainers describe what they saw while working with Tilikum and other captive orcas, and researchers question the parks' claims about how long orcas live in tanks compared with the wild. Interviews and footage build a case that capturing young orcas and holding them for shows harms the animals and the people who work with them.
Cast
- Dean Gomersallas Self - Former SeaWorld Trainer
- Samantha Bergas Self - Former SeaWorld Trainer
- John Jettas Self - Fomer SeaWorld Trainer
- John Hargroveas Self - Former SeaWorld Trainer
- Carol Rayas Self - Former SeaWorld Trainer
- Jeffrey Ventreas Self - Former SeaWorld Trainer
- Kim Ashdownas Self
- Thomas Tobinas Self
- Dave Duffusas Self - OSHA Expert Witness, Whale Researcher
- Estefania Rodriguezas Self
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Blackfish (2013)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- In 2018, SeaWorld and former CEO James Atchison agreed to pay over $5 million to settle federal charges that the company hid from investors how badly Blackfish had damaged its business.
- In November 2015 SeaWorld said it would end killer-whale shows at its San Diego park, and in March 2016 it announced it would end its orca breeding program and phase out all live performances using orcas, saying "Society is changing and we're changing with it."
- The film led New York State Senator Greg Ball to propose a ban on keeping orcas in captivity, and in March 2014 California Assemblyman Richard Bloom introduced the Orca Welfare and Safety Act, which would ban entertainment-driven orca captivity and retire all current whales.
- After Blackfish came out, Southwest Airlines came under pressure over its 26-year relationship with SeaWorld, and in July 2014 it was announced the partnership would not be renewed, a break a press release called mutual and based on "shifting priorities".
- On December 31, 2013, the Orlando Business Journal posted a poll asking if Blackfish had changed readers' opinions on SeaWorld; it was later found that 180 out of 328 votes, 55%, came from a single SeaWorld-hosted IP address.
SPOILER
The ending of Disney/Pixar's Finding Dory was revised after director Andrew Stanton and then-chief creative officer John Lasseter saw Blackfish and spoke with director Gabriela Cowperthwaite, which altered how a marine park is depicted in the film.- Reaction to the documentary led performers including Heart, Barenaked Ladies, Willie Nelson, Martina McBride, Cheap Trick, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, The Beach Boys and Trisha Yearwood to cancel scheduled 2014 concerts at SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa.
