The black-and-white truth about captive killer whales

Planning to visit SeaWorld soon or catch a dolphin show at the local zoo? You may want to think twice after viewing Blackfish, directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite and released in 2013. This critically hailed and emotionally harrowing documentary pulls back the lid on the controversial captivity of killer whales – specifically focusing on Tilikum, an orca responsible for the deaths of several people, including veteran SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau. Weaving together archival footage, gripping interviews with former trainers, and expert commentary, the film argues that orcas suffer severe psychological and physical trauma in captivity, which can lead to unpredictable aggression.

To hear a recording of our CineVerse group discussion of Blackfish, conducted last week, click here.

While it’s effective as a rousing expose, and ultimately its goal is achieved—raising public awareness about the unconscionable way orcas are captured and treated in captivity—Blackfish is not an objective or impartial documentary. It clearly has an agenda (as all docs ultimately do). It states that SeaWorld representatives refused to participate, yet it doesn’t try to present any opposing testimonies or subject matter experts with contrasting viewpoints. (It’s also worth noting that Brancheau’s family distanced themselves from this work, stating that neither they nor her memorial foundation were affiliated with the film and that it failed to accurately reflect the late trainer’s life and experiences. Other participants similarly criticized the documentary's framing; former trainer Bridgette Pirtle claimed the final product was a complete reversal of what was initially presented to her, while Mark Simmons stated that his interviews were largely excluded because his perspective contradicted the filmmakers’ narrative agenda.)

Still, the film serves an important purpose: shining light on our relationship with an animal we know so little about, which was especially true back in 2013. We learn from Blackfish, and from news reported after the film was released, that while wild orcas have no recorded history of fatal attacks on humans, captivity has seen four human fatalities—three involving Tilikum (Keltie Byrne in 1991, Daniel Patrick Dukes in 1999, and Brancheau in 2010) and one involving Keto at Loro Parque (Alexis Martínez in 2009). Alongside these deaths, records and occupational reviews note over 70 employee accidents or aggressive incidents since the 1970s, ranging from minor bumps to severe trauma like broken bones, torn ligaments, and hospitalizations suffered by different trainers.

This movie had a quick impact on SeaWorld operations and in changing public opinion on keeping orcas in captivity. Following the 2013 release of the documentary Blackfish, SeaWorld faced immense public pressure, artist boycotts, and proposed legislation—including California's 2014 orca ban bill—which triggered sharp declines in attendance, falling stock prices, investor lawsuits, and a multi-million-dollar SEC securities fraud settlement in 2018. In response to these mounting financial and societal pressures, the company announced in late 2015 that it would end its signature orca shows in San Diego, followed by a landmark 2016 decision to permanently halt all orca breeding and phase out theatrical performances nationwide.

Consider that, per Species Unite, out of the approximately 53 to 55 orcas currently held in captivity worldwide, 16 remain in the United States, all housed across SeaWorld's three amusement park locations in San Diego, Orlando, and San Antonio. While this means the remaining population represents the final generation of captive orcas at its parks, the whales will live out the remainder of their lives under human care, featuring a mix of older legacy animals like San Diego's Corky II and younger whales born before the ban.

Blackfish doesn’t break any new ground formally, stylistically, or narratively as a documentary. However, it does bounce often between timelines to make its points, straying far from linear storytelling-style docs. And as distressing and gruesome as some of the archival footage shown is, the filmmakers opt not to show intense images of human viscera and gore, including, for example, autopsy photos that could have hammered home the film’s message all the stronger. This was likely a wise choice, as the verbal descriptions of the whale attacks on humans conjure enough unsettling imagery in the imagination.

Cowperthwaite and company skillfully tap into an unfortunately timeless theme: exploitation of the natural world fueled by corporate greed. Blackfish reveals the not-so-secret consequences of kidnapping, confining, mistreating, and isolating killer whales; incredibly intelligent mammals have advanced social and emotional drives that become stifled in captivity. We see several examples of how capitalistic forces will obfuscate or bury the truth to keep their cash machine churning, at the expense of human and orca lives. And we are reminded of our moral duty as stewards of the planet and the dominant species to treat other living creatures with the respect, dignity, and compassion they deserve.

This is, as well, a cautionary tale of nature biting back—of backlash, comeuppance, and revenge, in some ways. “The film may rely on a tried-and-true, smooth mix of interviewees, animation, and archival video clips, but it’s an effective piece of feature-length reportage because of the Frankensteinian rebellion of creature against keeper, and in the slow, if predictable, “revelation” that corporate entertainers like SeaWorld, dependent on these 8,000-pound mammals to keep the revenue churning, apply the amoral sense of the Jaws resort mayor to their bottom line, suppressing and denying a list of 70-plus employee casualties since the 1970s,” opined Slant critic Bill Weber. “This is a sort of showbiz horror film, with Shamu Stadium’s unbridled, bloody capitalism taking the place of a grindhouse thriller’s Native American burial ground.”

Blackfish also exposes the victim-blaming and spin doctoring that ensue when corporate controversy erupts. SeaWorld pointed the finger of responsibility at trainer Brancheau and drifter Dukes, both killed by Tilikum, for their deaths, not at the animal or the horrendous conditions associated with his captivity. SeaWorld should have been honest with the public and the survivors of these victims instead of focusing efforts on PR damage control.

Similar works

• Grizzly Man (2005) – A documentary about a man who lived among wild grizzly bears before his fatal encounter.
• Sharkwater (2006) – An investigation into the environmental importance of sharks and the destruction caused by the shark-finning industry.
• The Cove (2009) – An exposé on the brutal dolphin hunting and capture practices in Taiji, Japan.
• Project Nim (2011) – A look at the life of a chimpanzee raised as a human in a failed language-acquisition experiment.
• The Ghosts in Our Machine (2013) – A documentary following a photojournalist documenting the plight of animals in factory farms and labs.
• Racing Extinction (2015) – An investigation into the global wildlife trade and the man-made causes of mass species extinction.
• Jurassic World (2015) – A fictional blockbuster featuring a theme park where corporate greed and the exploitation of genetically modified animals lead to disaster.
• Unlocking the Cage (2016) – A film tracking a lawyer’s legal efforts to grant "personhood" status to captive chimpanzees.
• Sled Dogs (2016) – An investigation into the inhumane treatment of sled dogs in commercial operations and racing events.
• Long Gone Wild (2019) – A follow-up to Blackfish focusing on the ongoing global trade of orcas for marine parks.
• Tiger King (2020) – A Netflix doc series exploring the eccentric subculture of private big cat breeding and the industry's exploitation of animals.
• The Conservation Game (2021) – An investigation into the connections between celebrity conservationists and the exotic big cat trade.

Other films directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite

• City Lax: An Urban Lacrosse Story (2010) – A documentary about an inner-city Los Angeles lacrosse program.
• Megan Leavey (2017) – A biographical drama about a U.S. Marine corporal and her combat dog.
• Our Friend (2019) – A dramatic feature following a couple coping with a terminal cancer diagnosis.
• The Grab (2022) – An investigative documentary uncovering global efforts to control food and water resources.
• I.S.S. (2023) – A sci-fi thriller about astronauts aboard a war-torn space station.