In the Heart of the Sea

Play trailer

2:42

In the Heart of the Sea

PG-13

2015

2h 2m

Adventure

Action

History

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

42%

Tomatometer

237 Reviews

54%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

In 1820, crewmen (Chris Hemsworth, Benjamin Walker, Cillian Murphy) aboard the New England vessel Essex face a harrowing battle for survival when a whale of mammoth size and strength attacks with force, crippling their ship and leaving them adrift in the ocean. Pushed to their limits and facing storms, starvation, panic and despair, the survivors must resort to the unthinkable to stay alive. Their incredible tale ultimately inspires author Herman Melville to write "Moby-Dick."

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

The admirably old-fashioned In the Heart of the Sea boasts thoughtful storytelling to match its visual panache, even if it can't claim the depth or epic sweep to which it so clearly aspires.

Read Critics Reviews

Kate Muir

The Times (UK)

08/17/2022

As the tale unfolds, told within another tale, it becomes clear that this is also about narration and narrators, unreliable and otherwise.

Go to Full Review

Edward Porter

The Times (UK)

08/15/2022

... A plain but still rewarding account of a true story from the 1820s.

Go to Full Review

Brent McKnight

Seattle Times

07/03/2020

C

Thor and Spider-Man fight a whale.

Go to Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

04/23/2022

2/4

The effect is largely a drab and plodding experience onscreen, with the occasional strong performance to keep us involved.

Go to Full Review

Hosea Rupprecht

Pauline Media Studies

09/13/2021

In the Heart of the Sea chronicles well a fascinating era in American history.

Go to Full Review

David Bax

Battleship Pretension

01/07/2021

How can we care about the whale when we don't even care about the men he's tormenting?

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Kenneth P

@RT77842348 Feb 2

A well acted movie with fine special effects. Based on the true story of the loss of the Essex in the early 1800's this is a fine piece of movie making. The story is told by the troubled only survivor decades after the event. A writer had sought him out after becoming obsessed with not knowing the truth of what really happened to the lost ship and wanted to write a book. if you like a good yarn and fine directing this is worth a watch.

See more

John P.

@juanarto Jan 25

Heartbreakingly beautiful and beautifully heartbreaking. Another cinematic masterpiece from Ron Howard.

See more

Sandeep R

@deep2020 Jan 24

Absolute cinematic masterpiece. 9.5/10. Very surprised by the 42% and 54% ratings.

See more

Frank N

@Badami Jan 21

First class movie that was a box office failure because audiences don't want first class movies.

See more

Stuart M

@RT15172104 Oct 29

A movie that doesn't pull any punches. It outright impales your soul, forcing you to think about humanity's place in this world, and how insignificant we really are. The tutor, a very angry 100ft spermwhale.

See more

Daniel C

@RT74973898 Oct 14

Ahhhh the incredible era of super bad cgi, the story is not even immersive, also in the 21st century i don't think most people like to see whales being hunted, cgi or not, this movie add everything to fail from the start.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Ron Howard

Director

Chris Hemsworth

Owen Chase

Benjamin Walker

George Pollard

Cillian Murphy

Matthew Joy

Brendan Gleeson

Tom Nickerson

Ben Whishaw

Herman Melville

Ben-Hur

24%

52%

Ben-Hur

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Ben-Hur

Exodus: Gods and Kings

29%

35%

Exodus: Gods and Kings

Watchlist

Pompeii

27%

34%

Pompeii

Watchlist

Robin Hood

43%

58%

Robin Hood

Watchlist

The Eagle

39%

41%

The Eagle

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Parental Guidance: How Family-Friendly Are 10 Cloverfield Lane and The Peanuts Movie?

On DVD This Week: The Peanuts Movie, Macbeth, Community and More

VES Awards 2016 Winners Announced

In the Heart of the Sea: B-Roll 2

4:05

In the Heart of the Sea: B-Roll 1

4:39

In the Heart of the Sea: International Trailer 1

2:42

In the Heart of the Sea: Trailer 3

2:25

In the Heart of the Sea: Trailer 2

2:25

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

In 1820, crewmen (Chris Hemsworth, Benjamin Walker, Cillian Murphy) aboard the New England vessel Essex face a harrowing battle for survival when a whale of mammoth size and strength attacks with force, crippling their ship and leaving them adrift in the ocean. Pushed to their limits and facing storms, starvation, panic and despair, the survivors must resort to the unthinkable to stay alive. Their incredible tale ultimately inspires author Herman Melville to write "Moby-Dick."

Director: Ron Howard
Producer: Paula Weinstein, Joe Roth, Will Ward, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard
Screenwriter: Charles Leavitt
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: A.I.E., Cott Productions, Imagine Entertainment, Roth Films, Spring Creek Productions, Enelmar Productions
Rating: PG-13 (Intense Sequences of Action|Brief Startling Violence|Intense Sequences of Peril|Thematic Material)
Genre: Adventure, Action, History, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 11, 2015, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 10, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $23.1M
Runtime: 2h 2m
Sound Mix: Datasat, Dolby Atmos

Most Popular at Home Now