“Whalefall” follows Jay, who is swallowed by a massive sperm whale while diving, leaving him trapped inside the animal’s belly with only one hour of oxygen remaining. It’s based on Daniel Kraus’ 2023 novel of the same name.
Who would’ve thought that the “man gets swallowed by a whale” movie would quietly become one of the most emotional releases of 2026 so far? It certainly wasn’t me. But somehow, co-writer and director Brian Duffield tells an impactful story of forgiveness, grief and acceptance in “Whalefall.”
Rather than beginning with Jay, the opening is focused on his father, Mitt. Jay ends up in the life-or-death scenario because he’s searching for his dad’s remains. While the film is Jay’s story, it’s Mitt’s in a way as well. Jay goes on a journey of self-discovery, and viewers go on a journey of understanding the complex relationship he had with his dad. Duffield executes this by weaving between the past and present. While many films have this same approach, it’s integral to the foundation of “Whalefall.”
Obviously, the “man gets swallowed by a whale” gimmick can only take you so far. And it’s not Jay’s time inside the creature that’s the most memorable part of the movie. It’s these flashbacks that allow “Whalefall” to rise above basic thriller status. As the movie progresses, memories grow more and more frequent, until they’re practically intertwined with his reality. While the basic premise is absurd, these help to ground it with relatable messaging.
At a certain point, it does fall into a cycle. There aren’t a plethora of opportunities for uniqueness when you place a character in such a small space. Because of this, it doesn’t ever veer far away from its template. Jay spends a lot of time sitting. This then leads to a memory. That memory then leads to a possible solution.
Still, the film is indeed intense. Director of photography Aaron Morton plays a major role in this. The inside of a whale is exactly how you would imagine: claustrophobic. Morton brings the suffocation to the max, with extreme close-ups of Jay’s eyes, ears and mouth. As he is trapped within blubbery confines, the visuals make you feel every ounce of discomfort he’s experiencing. Ramsey Avery’s production design and the visual effects top this off with realistic flesh, sloshing water and a general “gooiness.” Because so much of the movie takes place inside the whale, it had to look authentic — and it does.
There are instances where “Whalefall” becomes a CGI-fest, however. These come when it escapes the whale’s stomach. Showing the full scope of the animal is beautiful, but when mixed in with Orca chases, squid fights and surface breaches, that realism vanishes.
Duffield adds another layer to the film’s tenderness by not turning the whale into a “monster.” Most creature features make the animal out to be bloodthirsty. That’s not the case here. There’s no malice to the film’s events, which instead turn a terrifying scenario into almost an admiration of their sheer power and important role in the ocean.
Austin Abrams (Jay) does a lot with a little. Wearing a diving mask and regulator for most of the 106-minute runtime, Abrams is limited to what he can do. While the screenplay forces him to regurgitate unnatural lines to himself at times, he balances this with sincere emotion. Whether that’s screams of agony, silence from regret or tears of relief, he nails it. Josh Brolin (Mitt) also makes a memorable impression. He has a metaphor-heavy presence, delivering lines comparing the sea to life. This is certainly on the nose, though Brolin has a certain roughness to him that allows them to fit with his character.
“Whalefall” delivers on its basic promise, but it’s much more than that. This is an unexpectedly heavy movie that balances the power of the sea with empathy.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
