Blackfish. Anyone seen it?

[Rach78]

I saw Blackfish tonight, a documentary about the Seaworld Trainer who was killed and about Orca's in captivity. I went to Seaworld last year and have to say that myself, DH and DD's loved it. I approached this film with an open mind telling myself that there are two sides to every story. However it was heartbreaking and has really made me wonder if I could ever enjoy Seaworld again. We are due to go back next April but I honestly don't know if I can! Has anyone else seen this? If so what were your opinions on it?
Rach

 

[bex7583]

no we havent seen it

 

[Squidgyness]

No. I probably won't. I prefer to get my evidence from a less biased source. (This includes SeaWorld themselves. Even though I love the park I don't believe everything they say.) Anyone with "SeaWorld director" or "former employee" isn't on my list of trusted sources on this frankly.

I have a really hard time believing either side to be honest. They get some things right, but I think the makers of Blackfish are way too fanatical for their own cause, and I don't support their position on releasing these animals into the wild. On the other hand I think SeaWorld are more than a little biased and their staff sometimes more than a little naïve.

 

[Rach78]

I am almost wishing I hadn't!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqvAM0tHTAA

I don't know how to post this as a link but that is the trailer on you tube.

 

[Rach78]

Sqidgeyness I agree.
I do think however that these creatures are magnificent and in a way it's hard to say i 'enjoyed' the film but I did find it very interesting.

 

[Squidgyness]

Sqidgeyness I agree.
I do think however that these creatures are magnificent and in a way it's hard to say i 'enjoyed' the film but I did find it very interesting.

I've no doubt if I saw the film it would leave an impression on me and get my brain and my heart working overdrive. That's part of why I want to avoid it. It, along with many other documentaries of this type, seem calculated to pluck at hearts and get people feeling empathy.

Now, I'm not saying you shouldn't feel sorry for the whales (I do too! They are in a situation I feel they have few feasible options to escape) but people rarely make sensible conclusions when their feelings are being exacerbated by careful manipulation. This is the same thing that SeaWorld does in their shows - they carefully craft them to give a positive image.

There are people on both sides who I think are a little too blinded by emotion or other feelings to compromise or to truly look at what is best for the animal and not for us. To see a more obvious example of this one only has to look at PETA and their stance on closing all zoo's and getting rid of pet ownership. They don't look past their immediate goals to see whether it would benefit the animals or not in the long run.

But this is a complicated issue. it just irritates me when people like SeaWorld and the creators of this documentary present it as black and white.