2010: Moby Dick
2010: Moby Dick
| 23 November 2010 (USA)
2010: Moby Dick Trailers

That infamous whale is bigger, badder and a whole lot stronger in this sci-fi reimagining of Herman Melville’s classic tale of the battle between man, sea and sea creature starring “Xena” alum Rene O’Connor as the (traditionally male) narrator. But the boat — now a high-tech submarine — is also bigger, and Capt. Ahab is as determined as ever to settle the score and take down the mighty sea mammal that maimed him.

Reviews
wentbrown

Its a thrilling movie but the CGI is bad and makes no sense. It also makes little sense to me that the female lead couldn't refuse to help the mad Ahab.

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Stephen Abell

The Asylum V's Herman Melville in the Moby Dick Re-Dux.This is where I start to wave the B-Movie flag above my head and scream "Yeah!" There's a lot I like about this film... most of it being Bostwick's interpretation of Captain Ahab. There's a joyous insanity about it. I also liked the location. No longer onboard a ship we're placed in the confines of a submarine and actually get to take on the great white one in his own territory. Unfortunately, this doesn't work as well as it should.Not having read the Melville tome I cannot compare the two, though I do hope they stuck to the story; like they did with War Of The Worlds and The Day The Earth Stopped.Though, I do believe Bales did an admirable job of updating the story as well as changing the location to work within its confines. Of course, there are your usual Asylum staples, such as helicopters being taken out of midair... usually without damage to the beastie of the moment. Though I really did like the whale watchers tour scene, you know what's coming, but hey, you're still gonna love it.The acting, for the most part, is decent. And as I stated earlier, Bostwick has fun with Ahab. Though, I believe it's Renee O'Connor, of Xena and Hercules fame, who gets the short end of the stick. She is underused in this film and I don't believe that her character was meaty enough to compete with or complement that of Ahab.The other good part of the film is Moby Dick itself. There are some nice scenes where he's visible, such as the beginning on the ice. For 2010, it's passable... though it's starting to look a bit rough and cheap today. Though there is a good scene towards the end. A Navy man runs into the shallows of the beach, believing there's a chance of being saved. Unfortunately, we realise before he does that he's not in any shallows... as we see Moby Dick open his eye under the water. In one movement, he flicks the man into the air and catches him in mid-flight. The worst part is the budget. So, even though Moby looks okay, by the time we reach the finale the effects are looking laughable. The scene where Moby has a couple trapped behind a rock on the beach is one of the worst green screens I've seen.This isn't the best Asylum film I've watched, though it isn't the worst either. It's worth one watch just for Bostwick. So for fans of updated classics, The Asylum, and Barry Bostwick I would gladly recommend this for at least one viewing.

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ulrichburke

Oh yeah, I forgot, it's by Asylum. And actually LIKING an Asylum movie isn't cool, is it. OK, I'm not cool, I think this was a very well done ensemble historical movie. The costumes - good. The feeling of camaraderie on board ship - good. The sets - small, but they hid their size by making the cast seem more numerous. Atmosphere - great, I thought. I loved Qui-qui, if I've gotten his name right, and I thought the historical atmosphere matched many of the old-time Hollywood movies this was clearly an homage to.Asylum's scripts/dialogue have always been good and this was no exception. The cast entered into the spirit of things and, though nobody was running any risk of winning an Oscar, they did a very good job. It dragged a LITTLE bit on the ship when they were getting to know each other, but that's my only real gripe.I wasn't expecting a historical film when I sat down to watch this, I thought they'd have updated it like they updated their Titanic or Sinbad movies - but no, they kept it creditably in period. Overall - a fun movie, very atmospheric, great costumes, feel-good in style, not great acting, true, but everyone entered into the spirit of the thing with gusto. Well worth watching, like so many other Asylum movies.Don't knock the Asylum just cos they're the Asylum. Watch the films first. The old ones were bad. The modern ones could pleasantly surprise you. I give this one a seven, going on 8, out of ten. Good movie.Christopher Burke

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JohnLeeT

In the performance of a lifetime, Barry Bostwick proves what a truly great actor can do even in a film that trashes a literary classic. No piece of great literature deserves the fate that the novel Moby Dick suffers in this horrible production. Yet Bostwick may well be remembered in cinema history for his work in this film. With eyes that are clearly enhanced by a talented Hollywood plastic surgeon, he conveys the crazed, demented torment of Ahab as no actor ever has. His maniacal laugh chills the blood as one watches him masterfully interpret Melville's iconic character and incredibly make the role his very own. Barry Bostwick becomes Ahab, IS Ahab, in this production and it is as if the author had written the character with him in mind for the screen adaptation. Incongruous dialog is delivered with uncanny skill as archaic language is spoken in the modern setting of a 2010 model submarine. Few, if any other actor is so gifted that they are capable of delivering such profound lines in such surroundings with such convincing profundity and passion. The obsessive drive of Ahab is so real here that when Bostwick charges in a speed boat toward the gaping jaws of SyFy's version of a white whale, harpoon over his head, and crying out at the hated beast with his entire soul, it is something you will never forget. There are so many scenes of this kind where Bostwick almost sets the screen on fire with his brilliance that it would take an entire article to discuss them. Let it just be said that Barry Bostwick, the actor who so convincingly and movingly portrayed George Washington in the fine miniseries, surpasses everything else he has done in his career, for this is undoubtedly a powerful, jaw-dropping performance that will leave every viewer stunned beyond belief. While this SyFy movie is possibly the worst the network has ever produced, casting Barry Bostwick was brilliant and by accepting the role of Ahab, he has defined great acting in a piece of true artistry that will be forever remembered by those who appreciate an actor at the peak of his magnificence.

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