Review for Orca - The Killer Whale

Orca tells the tale of a grizzled fisherman Nolan, played by grizzled actor Richard Harris who is trying to make his living catching animals for the local aquarium. He sets his sights on a Killer Whale feeling this will pay off the mortgage on his boat and set him right financially.

Unfortunately, his capture of the Orca goes horribly wrong and then he is pursued by the Orca's mate who is out for bloody revenge. This results in attacks on nearby fishing boats, houses and to Nolan's crew. The only way he can stop this is to go out there with the help of marine expert Rachel, played by Charlotte Rampling to do battle with the beast in his own territory.

WOW!

I mean just WOW!

It is very easy to dismiss this film as a Jaws-Knockoff, which it is, but for some reason this feels a lot more than that. True, it covers almost every cliche that you could have to the point if you took a shot for every one you would probably be drunk within the first ten minutes. However, unlike most films, this still felt like they were trying to make a good film. It is campy in places and Harris' performance is probably as close to an Ahab impression that you can get, but it has a certain charm to it.

The effects of the film are very impressive and I'm sure most will agree much better than the original Jaws. I'm sure a real Killer Whale or some form of mechanical creation was used, but whatever way it was done it did look good and it is very difficult to tell which is which. There are only some moments where the effects are obvious, though without the aid of CGI to clear this up I can understand and forgive it. This is all made the better for the perfect score by Ennio Morricone which gives just the right mood, even if that mood is 'Jaws-esque'.

The creepiness of the film, especially the 'Orca capture' scene is something to be seen. I will not spoil it, but if you have not seen it you may consider watching it first before you look at the PG rating and think this is ideal viewing for any younger viewers. That being said, the film is very low on the gore and so as long as you can stomach that scene there is very little in the film that would scare or horrify you.

The only thing I would say is such a let down with this DVD is the lack of special features. And by lack I should be blunt and say the absence of any whatsoever. For a film that has spent most of its life being regarded as a ripoff of Jaws it would have been nice to have seen or heard some interviews with those who created the film to explain how they did certain things and make you appreciate it a bit better. Instead we get nothing. It doesn't even look as though the film has been remastered in anyway as it looks almost like it has been ripped from an old VHS print which is very disappointing.

Orca-The Killer Whale is a fun film and if you love Jaws you should love this one too. I do warn you that it is dripping with cliches and so if you are looking for something with originality, you won't find it here. But if you are looking for an hour and a half of action and suspense, then you have come to the right place.