In the Heart of the Sea (2015)

A recounting of a New England whaling ship's sinking by a giant whale in 1820, an experience that later inspired the great novel Moby-Dick.

Director:

Ron Howard

Writers:

Charles Leavitt (screenplay), Charles Leavitt (story)

Stars:

Chris Hemsworth, Cillian Murphy, Brendan Gleeson

1 win & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Chris Hemsworth	...	Owen Chase
Benjamin Walker	...	George Pollard
Cillian Murphy	...	Matthew Joy
Brendan Gleeson	...	Tom Nickerson
Ben Whishaw	...	Herman Melville
Michelle Fairley	...	Mrs. Nickerson
Tom Holland	...	Thomas Nickerson
Paul Anderson	...	Caleb Chappel
Frank Dillane	...	Henry Coffin
Joseph Mawle	...	Benjamin Lawrence
Edward Ashley	...	Barzillai Ray
Sam Keeley	...	Ramsdell
Osy Ikhile	...	Richard Peterson
Gary Beadle	...	William Bond
Jamie Sives	...	Cole

Storyline

In the winter of 1820, the New England whaling ship Essex was assaulted by something no one could believe: a whale of mammoth size and will, and an almost human sense of vengeance. The real-life maritime disaster would inspire Herman Melville's Moby-Dick. But that told only half the story. "In the Heart of the Sea" reveals the encounter's harrowing aftermath, as the ship's surviving crew is pushed to their limits and forced to do the unthinkable to stay alive. Braving storms, starvation, panic and despair, the men will call into question their deepest beliefs, from the value of their lives to the morality of their trade, as their captain searches for direction on the open sea and his first mate still seeks to bring the great whale down.

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Plot Keywords:

ship | boat | starvation | disaster at sea | whaling | 

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Taglines:

Experience the true encounter that inspired the myth Moby Dick.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Biography | Drama | History

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action and peril, brief startling violence, and thematic material

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA Australia Spain

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 December 2015 (USA)

Also Known As:

In the Heart of the Sea

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$100,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$11,053,366, 13 December 2015

Gross USA:

$25,020,758

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$93,920,758

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Village Roadshow Pictures, RatPac-Dune Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min

Sound Mix:

Datasat Dolby Digital Dolby Atmos Auro 11.1

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Reunites cast members Cillian Murphy, Paul Anderson and Charlotte Riley, who all appeared in Peaky Blinders (2013) .

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Goofs

Near the end of the film, subtitles reference the title of Melville's novel as "Moby Dick" (with no hyphen). The actual title of the novel is "Moby-Dick; or, The Whale" so even with the customary shortening, the title is "Moby-Dick" (with a hyphen).

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Quotes

[first lines]
Herman Melville: [in his letter] How does one come to know the unknowable? What faculties must a man possess? Since it was discovered that whale oil could light our cities in ways never achieved before, it created global demand. It has pushed man to venture further and further into the deep blue unknown. We know not its depths, nor the host of creatures that live there. Monsters. Are they real?
[a huge whale passes]
Herman Melville: Or do the stories exist only to make us respect the sea's dark secrets?
Title Card: NANTUCKET ...
[...]

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Connections

Featured in Chase and Pollard: A Man of Means and a Man of Courage (2016)

User Reviews

Need More Heart Here

If you like a decent story, the ocean, whales and man against the elements, here you go. If you want it to be memorable, you need to give it dimension, form, purpose and some intrigue. That is missing here and I am surprised that it is considering Ron Howard directed this. As to Chris Hemsworth, I am not sure he can carry a picture as a leading man. His verbal and emotional skills are not quite as fully developed as his body is. To be fair, this movie is not Moby Dick but instead the story that inspired it. When the words Moby Dick are conjured, one thinks of Gregory Peck as Captain Ahab and all the other colorful characters in the classic movie of its time. Here, we are given a story that needs our help to be entertaining when we should be since we paid to be so. If there are deleted scenes that will come out on a Blue Ray, this will help it along. I liked the movie but not $9.00 worth which is what it cost to get in. Wait until cable and you will enjoy it more one evening. Not a popcorn movie but a snack wouldn't hurt plus a tasty drink