Rating summary

Movie		1.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Orca Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 7, 2020

1977’s “Orca” was created to cash-in on the massive, industry-changing success of 1975’s “Jaws,” with executive producer Dino De Laurentiis trying to get in on a developing trend with his own take on man vs. sea creature. He can’t quite shake the shark envy out of his system (the film opens with sequence involving a Great White), but De Laurentiis elects to head in a slightly different direction with the picture, overseeing a screenplay that puts a killer whale on the hunt for revenge against a particularly selfish human hunter. Director Michael Anderson strives to make something somber with “Orca,” dealing with an intelligent apex predator and a screenplay that endeavors to use some sense of marine science to inspire a suspenseful tale of vengeance. The feature wants to be sensitive and deliver a B-movie event, and while Anderson tries to mount an extravaganza featuring “Jaws”-like attacks and conflicted characters, this effort wipes out when it attempts anything more than cheap thrills.

Captain Nolan (Richard Harris) patrols the ocean searching for creatures to catch, selling his finds to aquariums and marine mammal parks, joined by his crew, including Novak (Kennan Wynn) and Annie (Bo Derek). Realizing the fortune to be made by capturing a killer whale, Nolan makes a mess of the plan, trigging a pregnant orca to miscarry on his ship, while her mate remains in the water, helpless to protect his loved one. Visiting a fishing village to lay low, Nolan soon realizes the orca is returning to take his life, destroying local ships and buildings in an effort to pressure the captain into some type of showdown he wants nothing to do with, trying to make sense of the situation with help from whale expect Dr. Bedford (Charlotte Rampling).

Indeed, “Orca,” the movie about a killer whale, opens with a scene where Nolan’s boat spies a shark in the waters, triggering a struggle that gives audiences their “Jaws” fix and establishes the law of the ocean, finding an orca soon swimming to the rescue, with the production making it clear that sharks are hardly a threat compared to the titular whale. It’s a bold “we can top this” moment from the picture, and a promise Anderson can’t keep, soon settling into a bizarre revenge story involving Captain Nolan’s lust for money, inspiring him to capture a killer whale in the wild, unaware that the creature he’s pulling out of the water is actually pregnant. The PG-rated(!) feature actually depicts the miscarriage moment, watching a fetus fall out of its mother, soon hosed off the deck by Nolan. All the while, the helpless male watches the horror, resolving to murder Nolan after his callous display of inhumanity on his boat.

Such visual extremity flattens the camp value of “Orca,” but Anderson certainly doesn’t avoid ridiculousness during the viewing experience. Troubles are plentiful in the movie, but editing seems to be its greatest challenge, with clunky cutting clearly whittling down the endeavor to more of a simplistic tale of Nolan vs. the killer whale. Sudden narration from Bedford is the first indication that things are missing from the feature, with the doctor’s inner thoughts acting as storytelling spackle, also reinforcing the hilarious post-production idea of mild attraction between a woman who’s dedicated her life to the understanding of whales and the captain who lives to profit off their exploitation. Subplots involving Nolan’s crew and the fishing village locals who aren’t happy about the captain’s actions also feel awkwardly reduced. Motivations don’t fare any better, finding Bedford proclaiming that orcas have a “profound instinct for vengeance” at the beginning of the picture, while in the final act, she doesn’t believe the whales are capable of such darkness. Rampling’s dead-eyed performance certainly reflects an actress who wasn’t sure what her character was supposed to represent.

“Orca” fails to be a scientific study of killer whale behavior, with Anderson working on creating a thriller instead, turning the whale’s quest for justice into disaster sequences that involve the destruction of boats and the village’s fuel lines. A larger set-piece details the orca’s attack on a seaside house, forcing one of the residents into the water for a swift limb-removal. There’s a body count to keep viewers alert, but suspense is limited at best, not helped by shots of the whale doing joyous breaches after successful acts of sabotage (adding to the unintentional humor of the effort). Production limitations are also difficult to digest, with most killer whale shots captured in a tank with visible seams, and Anderson isn’t too interested in matching shots, with sunlit waters on display during evening activity. And if you’re a fan of abrupt ballads performed with shrill vocals (credited to Carol Conners), “Orca” serves one up for the baffling finale, trying to exit on musical poeticism that doesn’t match the movie it’s supporting

Orca Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Orca" appears to be sourced from an older scan of the feature. However, the viewing experience is satisfactory, supporting the movie's rather strange visual approach. Detail is acceptable, handling great distances during oceanic trips and tight close-ups, working especially well with Richard Harris and his creased face. Heavier outfits retain fibrous qualities, and fishing village exteriors showcase aged dwellings and ships. Orca footage delivers an acceptable look at whale particulars, and rubber stand-ins retain their synthetic appearance. Colors are appealing, offering sunshine brightness and a colder palette for rainy locations, offering darker costumes that favor browns and greens. Orca hues are distinct, along with all sorts of bloodshed. Skintones are natural. Delineation encounters a few moments of solidification. Source is in decent condition, with some periodic speckling.

Orca Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix delivers what the production is offering, encountering some mild hiss at times. However, the track is very odd, playing with levels to emphasize sound effects, intentionally abandoning consistency. Scoring handles with clear instrumentation, securing the somber and suspenseful mood of the feature, with a pleasant orchestral presence. Dialogue exchanges do what they can with technical difficulties, leaving some sequences slightly muffled while ADR efforts are loud, offering distinct dramatic responses. Again, the mix is all over the place, but inherently so, while orca cries and smashing ships are dialed up to keep their haunting effect.

Orca Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features film historian Lee Gambin.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:26, HD) is included.

Orca Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Orca" is so clumsy, and its melodramatic tone doesn't do it any favors (composer Ennio Morricone works up a sweat trying to support the endeavor's solemnity), especially with its storytelling mix-ups, including Nolan's arc, which tries to assign the captain some mournful awareness of the killer whale's experience of loss, only to keep the man a hunter to the bitter end. The screenplay wants the audience to empathize with the whale and jeer its villainy at times. It can't have it both ways, but that doesn't stop the production as it mangles its original concept while pursuing "Jaws"-style violence. De Laurentiis wants a knockoff, and he gets one, mirroring plot and tone of the Steven Spielberg classic. Perhaps that wasn't the original plan for "Orca," but the final cut isn't an offering of science or compassion. It's just a mess of ideas.