A whale of a time (CREDIT: 20th Century Studios/Screenshot)
Starring: Austin Abrams, Josh Brolin, Elisabeth Shue, John Ortiz, Jane Levy, Emily Rudd
Director: Brian Duffield
Running Time: 106 Minutes
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: October 16, 2026 (Theaters)
So it turns out that Whalefall is a pretty good movie to watch if you’re trying to cure your claustrophobia. But probably only really mild cases that aren’t severe enough that they could be diagnosed by a medical professional. After Jay Gardiner (Austin Abrams) found himself in the belly of a sperm whale, I was definitely feeling immersed in the compression. So I floated out of the screen and looked around at the walls and ceiling of the theater to remind myself that I in fact had much more room than Jay to luxuriate in. I’ve never been terribly affected by reasonably confined spaces, but I have had thoughts about just how debilitating it would be to get stuck in dangerously tight locations with no exit in sight. So it’s nice to have it confirmed that when those thoughts are fed by something I’m watching, I can avoid freaking out by (literally) opening up my perspective.
Grade: 17.3 Jellyfish out of 23.7 Squid
