The Whale

The Massie Twins of Gone With The Twins

2022-12-06

The Whale is quite the experiment in misery porn; it’s hard to watch yet impossible to turn away from. Equal parts heartbreaking, frustrating, disturbing, and mesmerizing, it’s a monumental character study of so many damaged souls, struggling to find meaning or salvation. Read more

Garry Arnot of Cinema Perspective

2023-01-29

A bleak exercise in shame and miserabilism, Aronofsky’s The Whale is a thought-provoking, challenging experience that furthers his bold cinematic exploration of belief. Read more

Bob Mann of One Mann's Movies

2023-01-28

This is a really interesting work. A work that delves into a difficult and unaddressed world affecting a small, but still important, proportion of the population. Charlie is one of the most interesting characters we are likely to see on the screen this year... Read more

George Wolf of Maddwolf

2022-12-20

Every time The Whale needs saving, fear not, Fraser will keep it afloat. Read more

Don Shanahan of Every Movie Has a Lesson

2022-12-15

Thanks to Chau’s protective involvement, there’s a rock-solid, heart-crushing version of The Whale that would be just these two and no one else. They have enough painful and resurfaced history for two movies. Instead, outside factors in Hunter’s screenplay and tonal choices from Aronofsky sully the potential of those good graces becoming their own simpler, standalone core. ... Read more

Filipe Freitas of Always Good Movies

2023-03-05

The problem with The Whale is that the more Aronofsky wants to make cinema, the more it gets histrionic. In its desire to bring out emotions, the film skips over the more complex fallout of personal abandonment, in its physically and psychologically undertows. Read more

Eric Hillis of The Movie Waffler

2023-02-01

There's an important conversation that might have been started by The Whale, but Aronofsky's condescending approach will likely shut down any potential dialogue, which is a shame. Read more

Alex Brannan of CineFiles Movie Reviews

2023-01-02

The Whale is a tonal misfire. It goes for haunting and grotesque in moments where it would be better served going for compassion, and it goes for compassion far too late (and with far too much fervor) to make up for it. Read more

Hamish Calvert of HCMovieReviews

2023-02-01

So whilst The Whale is home to several brilliant performances and well-paced, interesting storytelling, its lack of sensitivity and misplaced melodrama sadly becomes its ultimate undoing. Read more

Kurt Velghe of De Filmrecensent

2023-03-16

Hier en daar had de meligheid wellicht wat minder gekund, maar uiteindelijk is dit een prachtportret geworden van een eenzame, gebroken man op zoek naar een laatste restje liefde. Mooi en in integer. Read more

Axel Karsdorp of Filmdomein

2023-08-09

The Whale is een zwaarmoedig, maar ontroerend verhaal van een gebroken man dat wordt gedragen door een ijzersterke rol van Brendan Fraser. Read more

Jordy Gomes of De Filmrecensent

2023-02-23

Deze adaptatie bewijst dat je maar twee ingrediënten nodig hebt om een goede film te produceren: een pakkend verhaal en sterk acteerwerk. Deze twee aspecten zorgen ervoor dat The Whale een betreurend portret wordt van een man met obesitas die weet dat het einde nabij is. Read more

Sam Duijf of The Cult Corner

2023-02-11

Aronofsky pijnigt zijn hoofdpersonage lichamelijk om je op die manier in zijn hoofd te laten kruipen. Read more