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Rating: 3 stars

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All movies seen on 02/10/2010

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Orca (1977)

Directed by Michael Anderson

Horror

Most recently watched by sensoria, BTSjunkie

Overview

After witnessing the killing of his mate and offspring at the hands of a reckless Irish captain, a vengeful killer whale rampages through the fisherman’s Newfoundland harbor. Under pressure from the villagers, the captain, a female marine biologist and an Indigenous tribalist venture after the great beast, who will meet them on its own turf.

Rated PG | Length 95 minutes

Actors

Richard Harris | Charlotte Rampling | Will Sampson | Bo Derek | Keenan Wynn | Robert Carradine | Scott Walker | Peter Hooten | Wayne Heffley | Vincent Gentile | Don Barry

Viewing History (seen 1 time)

Viewing Notes

I’ve always wanted to see Orca. It’s an iconic movie that just mentioning it, people know what you’re talking about. Plus, Jaws is one of my all time favorite movies so I wanted to see how this different take on it played.

For one Richard Harris is amazing. The music from Ennio Morricone is pretty captivating. You get a little Bo Derek, but not much.

What stood out was the terrific whale abortion scene and then the scenes where the ever so calculating and vengeance seeking whale attacks the town by breaking the gas valves and then setting off a fire that burns up several buildings that explode while he jumps into the air several times. You really can’t beat how hilarious it was. Also, the final showdown is pretty good, where Orca lures Harris and his boatload of schmucks to the waters full of icebergs to finally off them. What in hell kind of crazy plan is that? And can you fault a whale for having a crazy plan?

All that makes up for the really slow parts with Harris and Charlotte Rampling rambling on about nothing, which drags the film down.

Either way, it’s no Jaws by any means. It’s still one of the better animal attack films I’ve seen but maybe on the low end of the better ones I’ve seen.

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