Orca (1977) User Reviews

Duel meets Jaws but please forget Free Willy

[searchanddestroy-1 · 10/10 · 30 December 2019]

I have always been amazed by this true masterpiece, though I don't understand why certain people compare this to JAWS. This is actually the anti JAWS. In Spielbreg's feature, the beast was the evil character from the beginning to the end. Here the killer whale is presented as a good character in the first half of the movie, and then slowly begins to become the evil beast. On the contrary Richard Harris is an evil man in the first part of the film before getting better and better later in the movie, At least the audience feel empathy for him, as he also has for his Nemesis killer whale who wants get revenge on him, Harris the hunter hunted has also his dark past: his wife killed by a drunk hit and run driver. This is a sort of psychological adventure thriller drama, more inreresting than JAWS. But of course JAWS will remain JAWS. And as I have said, there is also something of DUEL in this feature. The final face to face between the two opponents is so riveting. The audience doesn't know which side choose, unlike in JAWS. I also found something in common with the Korean THE TIGER. Man facing beast, but not a normal beast.

Nothing to do, nothing in common with FREE WILLY....

Seriously I don't think this film is as bad as the rating suggests...

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 15 November 2009]

This film is far from perfect, but it is nowhere near as bad as the IMDb rating and critics say it is. Critics have said it is overblown, forgettable, unscary and laughable. For me, Orca is none of those things. Yes, it does have its flaws, but it is a very underrated flick that doesn't take itself too seriously. I don't think it is the best movie ever, but what I liked most about this was that it never tried to be. Of course the script is weak in places, the story takes a while to get going and the film is rather slow. But overall, it is above average and more than decent. The film is well shot with dark cinematography and nice scenery. The music by Ennio Morricone is very creepy and intense, and just shows what a great composer Morricone is. The film is also benefited by a good cast, primarily the late great Richard Harris as Captain Nolan and Charlotte Rampling in a thoughtful performance as the female lead. But what made the movie was Orca himself. That is one scary killer whale I will admit. The story, about a killer whale wanting revenge on some humans for the death of his mate and baby, is good and has some suspense and terror. I don't think Orca is laughable or forgettable at all. I saw it when I was 10 by accident for the first time on television while flicking through channels, and while I didn't see it again until recently(I am 17 by the way) and couldn't remember what it was called until my dad reminded me, I do specifically remember getting nightmares every time Orca arrived on screen. Overall, not perfect, but a more than decent and underrated flick. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Unpleasant but well-crafted thriller

[gridoon2024 · 7/10 · 8 October 2017]

Made just two years after "Jaws", this isn't the crowd-pleasing blockbuster its predecessor is; it's a more adult film, turning a whale-seeking quest into a mystical journey to the end of time. There are all sorts of ways to read this film metaphorically (maybe the whale represents Harris' desire to die because of his grief, or maybe it represents everything he would like to have done to his own wife and baby's killer), but it's also effective at a simpler level; it can't be easy (much less in 1977) to create the illusion of a whale systematically preying on humans, but they do it here. Harris is superb, and Morricone's music is magnificent. It's not a pleasant film to watch, but it has made a strong impression on me (and left me with conflicting emotions) ever since I first saw it, many years ago. It's probably one of the top 5 "when animals attack" thrillers ever made. *** out of 4.

What You'd Call BIG-Time Revenge

[ccthemovieman-1 · 7/10 · 30 June 2006]

Well, here's an interesting twist: in this revenge film, it's not a human but a whale wreaking havoc after a seaman killed its mate and unborn baby. Orca goes after those responsible.

Yes, it's a bit far-fetched making a whale almost human-like but most revenge films are satisfying so the filmmakers figured, what the heck, let's cash in on the popular theme. It's also the decade of "Jaws," so I guess man-eating sea creatures were "in." Actually, it wasn't 'Jaws," but it wasn't bad, either. It was a pretty interesting film.

Notes on the movie: the scene where the baby comes out of the mother is NOT pleasant to watch......Richard Harris and Charlotte Rampling star, but a young Bo Derek is here, too, in a supporting role.

I watched this twice and that was enough.

Adventures and action about a confrontation between a hunter and a giant Orca

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 9 October 2006]

A fisherman and expert seaman (Richard Harris who was 46, performed his own stunts) along with his crew (Bo Derek, Peter Hooten, Keenan Wynn) kill with a harpoon a female pregnant Orca and her huge male mate swears revenge . Meanwhile , an Orcas-speciality scientist (Charlotte Rampling) and a native (Will Patton) warn him about the vengeance , but he reluctant listen them . The picture is developed in a Northern , cold shore community where the large Orca attacks on the tiny port (made with some maquettes or scale model) making a real wreak havoc and rampage . Then, the protagonists motived by profits determine to track down and kill it . The crew are forced to fight for their lives in a mortal struggle.

It's a good movie with a magnificent creation of suspense , terror , emotions , thriller , bone-chilling images and brief gore when the humans are serving for lunch ; besides , some creepy scenes about the abort female whale . The Orca whale was portrayed by an animatronic whale , filmed off the coasts of Malta and Newfoundland, and stock footage taken at Marine World in Redwood City, California . Intelligent writings by Luciano Vincenzone (also producer) and Sergio Donati (Sergio Leone'usual screenwriters) is allegedly based on truth events . The Orca attacks images deliver the tension along with exciting musical score by the great Ennio Morricone who heightens the suspense . Colorful cinematography by Ted Moore with excellent special effects by Alex Weldon . Although it results to be a ¨Jaws¨ exploitation is an agreeable movie with magnificent Richard Harris and Charlotte Ramplingb . The motion picture was well produced in high budget by Dino De Laurentis and finely directed by Michael Anderson . The picture will appeal to Richard Harris fans . Well seeing but during the attacks you will have on the hedge of your seat .

Can't pick which side you're on?

[NerdBat · 6/10 · 30 May 2017]

This film was made during a time when Orca whales were not too well studied and known about. That being said, it puts a whole different sense of fear into the one watching the film. I'll call this the "boat scene" when a key point in the movie occurs, which is one of the most disturbing scenes in any film I have ever seen. It leaves you with a feeling of sorrow and pity for the antagonist (or protagonist?) and can only imagine the pain he must be feeling. The movie is so complex in its situations that it leaves the viewer with mixed feelings on who the overall winner should be. It remains one of the best marine horror movies in my book. I definitely recommend it.

A very good, chilling and moving picture of revenge but also empathy and compassion, one that never deserved to be dismissed as a mere ripoff of a certain classic shark movie.

[Foreverisacastironmess123 · 8/10 · 4 January 2018]

If you loved the movie Free Willy Growing up, well this is the movie if Willy went on a murderous rampage! I love this movie. Overall it isn't as strong a film or made with quite as much technical finesse as Jaws, but one thing I think it does have over it is a much deeper emotional resonance, plus the creature is fundamentally different, being an intelligent orca that's attacking to gain an arguably justified revenge, whereas Jaws was more like a deadly force of nature with no intelligence and that killed indiscriminately - unless you count Jaws 4! And whether or not it was originally made as a knock-off, it's earned its own respectable distinction and staying power over the years because of the quality of the acting, the cinematography, the score, and just how it plain has a lot more weight and worth to it than your average animal attack story, and for me it definitely is an unsung classic. It's basically a revenge story, where a killer whale just happens to be the one that's getting revenge. And as out there as that possibly sounds, they really made the premise work tremendously well, and even thought of very binding and logical reasons why the people don't just stay out of the ocean! I really like Richard Harris' performance in it because he isn't just an arrogant sea captain who's ruthlessly hunting for sport, but a compassionate man who immediately realises he's made a terrible mistake as soon as he fires the fateful harpoon, and yearns to make amends one way of another, and it was clever how Captain Nolan and the orca do share a common pain and a need for revenge and vindication and are a kind of reflection of each other, despite one being an animal and the other a man. Some of the moments in this film do genuinely give me the creeps, like the closeups of the whale's eye and its roar as it leaps out of the sea to snatch the unwary and drag them to a watery grave, and the eerie surrealness of when the whale foetus falls out of the dying mother always sends a chill up my spine. That whole sequence is still shocking and unpleasant to watch to this day, it's brutal. It isn't really a horror movie as such though, the orca isn't killing out of malice, he's maddened with grief and is killing everyone around Nolan as a way of showing him that until he surrenders his own life the nightmare won't end. And at the bitter end when Nolan finally has been killed and the orca swims away under the desolate arctic ice, if in a form of self-exile or an act of suicide because the one thing he had left to live for, his revenge, is now complete and he truly has nothing left, is probably open to interpretation. I think his last look at the woman before he departs means that he's saying something like "Now you know how it feels to lose your family." It's certainly a sad ending, the poor creature looks like the most alone being on the face of the earth, and it makes the movie feel more like a tragedy for all involved really, neither man nor beast deserved to die, it was all just an awful chain of events... And the music is so deeply saddening that it makes me want to cry every time. Since the very first time I ever saw this film as a kid the first thing that always pops into my head when I'm reminded of it is the hauntingly beautiful "We are One" theme. Great movie, one of the best and most underrated gems of the very varied nature strikes back genre, and for me a solid classic.

Not your average JAWS knock off

[jellopuke · 8/10 · 10 October 2017]

This was WAY better than I was expecting and much better than it had any right to be. Rather than just another crazed animal kills people movie, it was more mythic in its scope, almost like moby Dick in the way it portrayed man vs whale. It had excellent use of stock footage and trained animals and hid the puppets away with such short shots that it worked quite well. While there were some hokey parts, overall it was a nice, more thoughtful change of pace from the usual blood in the water movies.

Orca has a particular charm to it that is often overlooked

[Fiver-7 · 3 September 1999]

Most of the reviews about Orca that I have seen say that, essentially, it belongs in the garbage can, with an unrealistic plot and terrible acting. Yet I must confess I quite enjoyed this film. It's been a number of years since I saw it, and I've actually forgotten most of the violent scenes. Probably what held much of the attraction for me was the theme of moral uncertainty which it maintains until the very end.

This is a much more humanely stimulating movie than Jaws. In this film there are no real bad guys, either human or otherwise, and we feel compelled to feel pity for both the orca, and the character Nolan.

The "We are One" song, the music of which features throughout the movie, is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard, and the scenes which show the orcas slowly swimming together to this music are quite entrancing.

The chilling scene in which the female orca aborts her unborn foetus is, of course, unforgettable, and it is this scene that begins the tragic theme of the story. This is a different movie altogether from Jaws, and the dramatically different endings of the two films perhaps show this difference most of all.

Watch Orca - you won't regret it.

Orca

[Scarecrow-88 · 7/10 · 15 August 2015]

Surprisingly good "killer mammal over the open sea" flick which happened to follow only two years after a certain film directed by Steven Spielberg about a predatory killer Great White. That bit of misfortune plagues what is otherwise a rather nifty "nature goes a killin'" horror flick. Good casting is especially in this film's favor. Richard Harris is really a very valuable anchor for the film (pun intended) while Charlotte Rampling was another bit of solid casting that helps to bring some real acting chops to what can viewed as "just another one of those Jaws rip-offs".

Ultimately this is about revenge on the mind of a male killer whale after Harris's captain accidentally kills its pregnant female mate trying to capture it with a harpoon. Knicking the fin of the male, this "mark of identification" lets the viewer know (when the whale doesn't leap from the water to recognize its presence to those he wants to see his handiwork (like causing boats to sink after attacking them or causing a nearby fishing village factory to go kaboom) when the whale is hanging around. The fetus spilling from the rope-caught female with large cuts on its torso onto Harris' deck is horrifying (as it should be), reminding of him of his loss of wife and child to a drunk driver.

Rampling is a marine scientist with extensive knowledge of whales. She tries to reason with Harris over confronting the killer whale, soon realizing that fisherman and whale are fated to meet in a violent conclusion. This near a polar region with ice bergs. Will Sampson arrives in the film a little later to try and convince Harris that if he doesn't "do battle" with the whale that the fishing village would turn on him due to its detriment to their livelihood. The whale's antics include snatching Rampling's assistant (Robert Carradine; Revenge of the Nerds), and two of Harris' fishermen (Keenan Wynn, basically wasted but proving how active he was even as he was aging, and Peter Hooten) while on the water. A rather startling but effective attack on a rental home overlooking the sea has the whale biting off Bo Derek's casted leg in perhaps its most memorable scene. Speaking of Bo, she isn't used much (I just assumed the filmmakers would try to get her beautiful looks in as much as possible), although her fate is quite a shocker.

Harris really lifts this film with a performance that Orca needs in order to be even in the conversation with Jaws. His teetering on the edge, influenced greatly by Rampling's appeals for the whale, as the two attempt futilely to avoid a fight on the open sea, shows that he isn't just some thoughtless, honorless, heartless sociopath. And a good scene has Harris contemplating to Rampling about why he wanted to capture the male whale and how doing so has cost him so much. Morricone's score also adds dramatic weight and power to the film. The opening with the male and female whales (soon to be parted and destroyed by Harris' carelessness) rising from the water as the sun peeks from clouds is a jaw-dropper. Along with Pirhana, I think Orca is one of the best of the emerging killer fish/mammal water flicks to show up after Jaws. There have been so many rotten apples that came out of the aftermath of Jaws, but I think Orca is one of the few decent efforts of the swarm. The killer whale dismantling the shark at the beginning, saving Carradine (only later to kill him; irony at its darkest) in the process, an amusing message that speaks loud and clear regarding the attempt to pound the chest towards Jaws. The animatronic whales are incredible in their lifelike-ness.

Dramatizes, separate and combined feelings of man and whale.

[rainiac · 15 October 2000]

The very beginning of this movie displays the peace, beauty, and greatness of Killer Whales. A person is saved from the jaws of a shark, by the mercy and strength of one of these whales. The event is witnessed by an ocean hunter, who decides to change his choice of prey to these great beasts. He eventually harpoons one allright, but what he thought would be a simple kill turns out to be something closer to murder! This is a "ONE OF A KIND" movie, that I think delivers "not bad" , for its' time. Unusually, artistic soundtrack. A must see for movie lovers.

Harrowing but powerful.

[lddobbi · 6/10 · 14 September 2006]

A somewhat cheesy tale of man versus beast. Leave your sad pills alone, because this film will do it for you. The photography is perplexing: at times we see troubling "cheap" shots detailing bloody scenes and wounded creatures (reminder: "Jaws" was released two years earlier) but the overall cinematography is captured quite nicely, showing the vast, cold maritime coastal region that provides the both the setting and the mood. The disturbing theme song is unforgettable, as it mimics some of the sad, vocal tones emitted by the orcas themselves. The story line is somewhat juvenile (think "Road Runner" cartoons) but where the film grabs us is that rarely has a "man versus beast" tale been told with such tragic emotion. Most of us are aware of the high intellect of the killer whale, but very few have dared to show their emotional side. Sad, gripping, and difficult to watch, this film's reward is to become more acquainted with these amazing sea mammals.

Highly enjoyable revenge-driven creature feature

[kannibalcorpsegrinder · 9/10 · 25 March 2015]

Inadvertently killing it's mate while fishing, a fisherman and his crew come to find themselves being stalked and killed by the surviving killer whale in retribution and forces him into an epic quest to settle the score.

This one turned out to be quite an enjoyable and entertaining creature feature. One of the better features here is the fact that this one sets up the crucial revenge aspect of the storyline here in an incredibly well-done with a lot to like, starting with the scene that sets if off when she's accidentally killed in the fishing attempt gone wrong. It's a heartbreaking scene more than anything through the actions of how sad it is hooking into the creature and bringing it aboard and how the whole scene is played out in front of the mate, as the whole scene comes off with a sense of poignancy that's ultimately touching. It's mournful cries and seeing how it reacts after the fact makes this all the more touching and also leads into the film being quite fun showing off the creatures' antics as it orchestrates a rather complex and involved plan for revenge. The destruction of the fishing boats is rather cheesy but comes off in a clever way that plays into the revenge-driven storyline rather well, the destruction of the complex is a spectacular pyrotechnic showcase that really has a ton of outstanding action in it and the following attack on the house with the resulting injuries on his crew-member leaves this with a really exciting suspense scene as there's the race to get out before both the house falls and the whale attacks. That all leads into the incredibly fun and exciting finale which is set-up as the grand, epic showdown between the two as a huge chase through open-water and on into the Arctic ice-flow that really meshes a lot of exciting action with the attempts to track down the creature and it's countermeasures for a wholly enjoyable sequence. These here all combine with the suitably majestic feeling for the titular beast as the film's positives that are more than enough to hold off the lone negative in here which is the rather over-the-top and needless exploitation crammed into the accidental death of the mother. Despite adding another suitable layer needed for the revenge scenario, it works fine enough as is without it and the sight of it doesn't need to be featured. Otherwise, this one is incredibly entertaining.

Rated PG: Violence, Language and graphic violence against animals.

A sad film

[reapercrew-05584 · 10/10 · 25 January 2021]

Orca is a sad and cool film I don't think of it as a rip-off of jaws this is a really nice film the music is nice the kills are cool.

Grim? Perhaps not. Entertaining? Absolutely.

[Maeve72 · 8/10 · 26 October 2002]

I've seen this movie at least a dozen times since it's release. The first time I saw it, I was very young, perhaps 8 or 9, and while I found it upsetting and sad at parts, as an adult I can look back and say it speaks so much more to me than say, "Free Willy." The movie follows the events in a fisherman's life following the capture of a killer whale. On the surface, it can appear grim and gory, but underneath there is a stirring tale about a man who has lost everything he held dear, has given up all feeling because of past events and leads an almost hostile towards life existence and then gradually comes to understand that because he was hurt, does not give him an excuse not to feel. Yes, the premise does dabble in the fantasy world, however the point isn't whether this could happen but the growth of the central character. Not once have I been able to watch this movie and not been moved by it.

Difficult to rate - Raises Mixed Emotions

[Chantillyman · 6/10 · 18 October 2004]

1977's "Orca", starring Richard Harris (Gladiator, Harry Potter), is one of the more difficult films I believe I've ever tried to categorize. Also, I'm uncertain exactly how to rate it, given that it stirs up a number of mixed emotions.

***spoilers follow***

"Orca" tells the story of Captain Nolan (Harris), a fisherman who is trying to set himself up for a financial windfall (and thus pay off the mortgage on his boat) by capturing a Great White Shark and selling it to an aquarium. When two divers become involved, the situation nearly leads to tragedy; however, a killer whale intervenes, killing the shark and firing the imagination of Captain Nolan. Enlisting the unwitting aid of a female marine biologist named Rachel Bedford (Charlotte Rampling), Nolan decides to change course and pursue the capture and sale of a killer whale. The capture attempt is a dismal failure. In the process, a male Orca is wounded, its mate is killed, and the female's unborn calf gruesomely miscarries on the deck of Nolan's ship, "Bumpo".

By this time in the film, we've already sat through a crash-course on killer whales, most notably two ideas: 1) killer whales may have an intelligence level on par with man's, and 2) killer whales are vengeful creatures. These ideas, combined with Captain Nolan's unintentional killing of the female whale and her calf, set us up for the main body of the film, which concerns itself with the male Orca doing whatever it can to lure Nolan back to sea for a final confrontation.

Many people seem to feel that "Orca" is a "Jaws" rip-off, and while it may have been made to capitalize on the success of "Jaws", I don't see it as a true rip-off. For one thing, other than the story of a fisherman challenging a powerful animal at sea, "Orca" doesn't really follow the pattern set by "Jaws", and emulated countless times since in lesser films. In "Jaws", a Great White Shark simply shows up in New England waters one day and embarks on a killing spree, leading to the film's climactic hunt for the animal. There is no explanation for the shark's actions save for animal instinct, and while powerful, the shark is not portrayed as intelligent; nor do we feel any sympathy for the animal. True "Jaws" rip-off films merely change the animal in the title role (or not, in the more blatant examples), substitute another location and a different cast, and supply a different ending. See "Tentacles", "Piranha", "Night of the Grizzly", "Kingdom of the Spiders", etc.

"Orca", on the other hand, doesn't truly emulate the pattern of any of these films. The Orca has a reason for its actions, displays intelligent manipulation to get what it wants, and is somewhat sympathetic. For a true comparison to another film, try reversing the plot elements of "Moby Dick". With a few tweaks, you basically get "Orca". In fact, as opposed to being a rip-off, I'd argue that "Orca" is a rather unique film. It's a revenge story with an animal in the lead, and I don't believe I've ever seen another example of that.

As for the film in terms of production, I wouldn't say that "Orca" is an awful film, but it certainly tries to be more than what it ultimately becomes, and thus may seem worse than it is. I enjoy watching it myself, but I hesitate to recommend it to others.

Richard Harris is a surprisingly complex Nolan. He doesn't always react as you'd expect him to, and thus rises above the one-dimensional range this role could easily have been for him. Charlotte Rampling plays a cool-headed intellectual type who doesn't know whether to love Nolan or hate him, so she settles for something in between. Her acting isn't the most inspired, but it's adequate to what she's asked to do here. She could be called wooden, I suppose, but most cool-headed intellectuals seem that way in real life. Admittedly, the rest of the cast, with the exception of Will Sampson as Umilak, are display material. Bo Derek is very attractive, but looking simultaneously attractive and helpless is really all she's asked to do here.

The best aspects of "Orca" are its rich photography and Ennio Morricone's mournfully haunting score. Both are absolutely beautiful. The film is a viewing and listening pleasure. Michael Anderson's direction is also quite good. There were a few scenes that appear to have been cut (for time, perhaps), but other than that the flow is very good and the chosen shots work well.

The storyline is "Orca's" weakest point. The idea of a killer whale trying to avenge the death of its mate is workable, but some of the Orca's feats in this film are unintentionally amusing. The dockside fire scene is definitely the most over-the-top of all, as others here have already pointed out; and the Orca signaling to Nolan to follow is probably the runner-up, at least for me. Some stock aquarium footage also got annoying.

The recent "Orca" DVD release has no extras, but does feature a beautiful transfer and excellent sound. I can understand why they didn't go to too much expense with "Orca", but it would have been nice to at least get a trailer.

Bottom line: Unbelievable storyline, but surprisingly well-made and likable. This may be the best "bad" film I've ever seen.

Rating: 5 out of 10

KILLER WHALES!

[BandSAboutMovies · 7/10 · 21 December 2018]

If you read comic books in the summer of 1977, there's no way you didn't know about Orca. Despite everything that nature - and SeaWorld - could teach us, it was time to meet a predator even more deadly to man than the great white shark. To quote Neko Case: "You know they call them killer whales."

Orca raises the Jaws rip-off stakes: if the name Orca can be Quint's boat, here, it can be an entire movie. Dino De Laurentiis called writer Luciano Vincenzoni (he also wrote The Good, The Bad and the Ugly) in the middle of the night and told to find a fish tougher and more terrible than the great white to make a movie that could go up against Spielberg's. Vincenzoni's brother told him all about the killer whales and the rest is scumtastic movie history.

Directed by Michael Anderson (Logan's Run, Doc Savage), Orca is the kind of movie that critics have assaulted for years. I'm here to tell you that every single one of them is wrong. It's a completely ridiculous film, a shameless reboot of both Jaws and Moby Dick, but by no means is it not entertaining as hell. And it has an incredible Ennio Morricone score, something that so many fish films could only wish they aspired to.

Captain Nolan (Richard Harris, who nearly died doing his own stunts and also would grow enraged if anyone dared compare this movie to any other film) catches fish and marine animals so that he can pay off his boat. His crew is looking for a great white, which comes after crewmember Ken (Robert Carradine, Lewis from Revenge of the Nerds). An orca saves Ken and Nolan decides to repay its kindness by capturing it. After he harpoons the whale, he learns that he's killed its mate, which miscarries and drops a fetus onto the deck of the ship that the callous captain hoses off into the ocean while our titular hero/villain/sea mammal screams in anguish. This is when you wonder: how did this movie get a PG rating?

Novak (Keenan Wynn, The Dark, Piranha), another crew member, cuts the female loose and its mate drags her dead body to shore. The villagers all rise up against the crew, who demand that Nolan kill the orca, who has gone wild and is ruining local fishing. When Nolan refuses to put the fish out of its misery, it retaliates by sinking all of the fishing boats and breaking all of the town's fuel lines, because of course killer whales can hold grudges.

That's what brings Dr. Rachel Bedford (Charlotte Rampling), a whale expert, into the movie. She believes that orcas are like humans, a fact that Nolan can understand. He sees himself as one of the whales, as his wife and unborn child were killed by a drunk driver. He promises not to fight the whale, but it kills Novak, attacks Nolan's house and then bites off the leg of his injured worker, Annie (Bo Derek in her film debut).

Nolan and his crew, including Paul (Peter Hooten, who was also in Derek's first actual filmed movie, Fantasies, as well as the 1970's Dr. Strange TV movie and Just a Damned Soldier with Mark Gregory), all take off after the orca, along with Native American Jacob Umilak (Will Sampson, the magical Native American in films like One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Poltergeist II). That's when the orca goes buckfutter and wipes out nearly everyone by either grabbing them, biting them, crushing them and tossing icebergs at the boat.

The orca throws Nolan all the lace like a ragdoll, killing him, but leaving Bedford alive. We watch as Nolan sinks into the water in a crucified pose and the killer whale decides to swim under the ice. Now, there's some conjecture here: is the killer whale trapped or has it decided that with its revenge complete, all it can do is die when faced with the path or revenge that it has wrought? I can see the poetry of this thought, but then I realize that I've just watched a film filled with no subtlety whatsoever, so perhaps the orca swam on, discovered a new mate and remains ready to wipe out all of humanity at a moment's notice.

Orca is everything I love about movies: it's big and dumb and bloody. It's the kind of movie a fine actor like Richard Harris chews the scenery with just as much viciousness as a killer whale devours one of Bo Derek's shapely gams. It also takes shark films to the next level. Every single one of the humans in this movie are amongst the dumbest people ever, doomed by the fact that they even known Captain Nolan. The moment he hoses orca's son into the icy waters, he's sealed his fate. This is one of the few films where you root for the beast and savor its revenge.

You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll be amazed at Bo's bloody stump. I want more people to love this movie even a fourth as much as I do.

Underrated movie, well worth seeing

[medic249a2 · 11 May 2003]

I saw part of this once when I was about 12, and finally got to see the whole thing when I was 20. I was impressed, especially with the photography & Ennio Morricone's amazing score!

I must disagree with those who called this a JAWS rip-off. It was anything but that. In JAWS, Police Chief Brody, Quint, and Matt Hooper were the heroes - the human element. In ORCA, the reverse is true - the whale is the hero of sorts, and Richard Harris' character is something of an enemy - much like the 'war' between Moby Dick & Captain Ahab. While real Orcas are unlikely to engage in destructive acts toward man, this movie depicts them as highly intelligent,on a par with man, and as such, just as capable of the most basic instincts as man - a desire for vengeance.

***WARNING! POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD***

The movie starts with an amazing scene showing two orcas mating, setting the stage for what's about to happen later. Rachel (Charlotte Rampling) is menaced by a shark, but the orca intervenes and kills the shark. After the giant whale's pregnant mate is maimed & killed by Captain Nolan (Harris), during a capture attempt, the angry male orca seeks revenge on Captain Nolan. It attacks & sinks boats in a fishing port harbor - save for that of Nolan, after pushing its dead mate to shore in a whale's apparent show of grieving for its lost mate & child. After the whale destroys a flammable liquid cannister, causing massive destruction by fire (a highly improbable event, admittedly), Nolan is forced by angry fishermen to leave the town and confront the whale on ITS terms - in an ice field. In a rare reversal of 'hero' roles, the whale triumphs - by throwing Nolan against an iceberg with its huge tail. Nolan is killed outright, but the whale leaves Rachel alone - as if he knows she never tried to harm his mate. Afterwards the orca quietly swims away into the Atlantic, his mission fulfilled.

The amazing scenes of the two orcas at the start of the film were very touching, especially when mixed with Ennio Morricone's terrific score - it adds so much to the movie. The theme played during this scene appears several times throughout the movie, accenting the male orca's grief over the death of his mate and offspring.

I DID NOT think that ORCA portrayed whales in a bad light - in order for that to make sense, you would have to apply the same logic to Moby Dick, which this story bears a resemblance to. Admittedly, some of the orca's destructive acts are unlikely, but if anything, they showed the whale's high intelligence, which no one has denied actually exists.

An underrated movie that does well on its own, and didn't have to imitate anything else.

A simple recommendation...

[rbsjrx · 8/10 · 3 May 2008]

...if you liked "Silent Running", then you'll probably like "Orca". Both are allegories lamenting human misunderstanding, neglect, and mistreatment of the natural world. Both are "downer" movies with a message - not an especially subtle message, but one definitely worth considering.

This was one of the first movies I bought many years ago on the old RCA CED video disc format. But then, RCA bailed on CEDs, so I hadn't seen it for years (it never came out on LaserDisc and rarely shows up on cable). While browsing Amazon, I found it is now available on DVD, so I bought a copy. The DVD is quite rudimentary and could stand cleaning up and remastering, but I still like it as much as ever.

Yes, the plot is a bit silly and overwrought, but then so was "Silent Running", hence my comparison. At least the plot has some weight to it which, when you get right down to it, "Jaws" lacked.

The "Jaws" comparison is apt, however. Both films came out within 18 months of each other (IIRC), so "Orca" was dismissed as a rip off of "Jaws". But they're two entirely different films which had been in simultaneous development. "Jaws" is a scary thrill ride while "Orca" tries to get the audience thinking about something of substance.

As usual, Richard Harris chews the scenery. Will Sampson occupies his usual wise old Indian role. Charlotte Rampling is excellent as a marine biologist who dilutes the testosterone with a thoughtful, excellent performance. It's also enjoyable to see a young Robert Carradine and Bo Derek (her first movie) in minor roles.

Good film, Trouble Was It Was Released After Jaws

[Dianafan79 · 7/10 · 29 May 2007]

On the surface, this film could be a tacky rip off from Jaws. Both contain sea creatures that causes havoc to small communities and are killers. But the stories are very very different. Orca is by no means as good as Jaws, but if Jaws had never been made, or if it had been released before Jaws then it may of stood a better chance. Orca tugs on the heartstrings. It's a story about the death of a killer whales and the havoc and disaster that one mistake, made by a man, caused to several people. The special effects are good, and the 'fake' whales are very convincing indeed. Some of the acting is a bit hammish but I think Richard Harris and Charlotte Rampling do a good job. I would recommend this film but as long as the viewer can forget about Jaws and see it in it's own right!

Moby Dick from the whale's perspective

[conatser_rod · 8/10 · 15 August 2020]

I just fished (pun) this out of my collection after two decades or more. It's not an easy movie to watch, as early in the movie there's a disturbing scene involving the mother orca that is excruciating to watch. However, it is a great testament to the idea that orcas, and other animals, may not just be more advanced than we give them credit for; in some ways they may even be superior to humans.

The main knock on this movie is that "Jaws" came out two years prior, and was a monster hit. That is true, but this movie is much more similar to "Moby Dick," another great revenge tale, but this time from the whale's perspective. In fact, while I liked Richard Harris' character, or at least his portrayal of him, I spent most of the movie rooting for the whale.

Charlotte Rampling, Keenan Wynn, and even Bo Derek in a supporting role did a fine job, but it was the struggle between the man and whale that made this movie, coupled with Rampling's education for the audience into a magnificent creature. I would highly recommend this movie, at least once, for everyone.

A thought-provoking film that will leave you in awe.

[Vivekmaru45 · 10/10 · 14 June 2010]

Reminiscent of Moby Dick (1956), in which captain Ahab relentlessly pursues the white whale Moby Dick till the ends of the earth for an injury done to him. In this film however, the injury is done to a killer whale.

Captain Nolan (Richard Harris) who lost his wife, who was pregnant with his child, due to a road accident some years ago, wants to capture a killer whale to sell to an aquarium so that he can pay off a mortgage on his fishing vessel and move back to Ireland.

However a fatal mistake leads him into killing the pregnant female mate of a killer whale. The killer whale vows vengeance on Nolan and his crew.

Will Nolan escape the wrath of the Killer Whale? Will the whale have his vengeance? Watch the film to find out.

Brilliant musical score by maestro composer Ennio Morricone, and beautiful cinematography showing live whale footage by J. Barry Herron and Ted Moore.

The casting is also good, veteran actor Richard Harris being the central character, with Charlotte Rampling, Will Sampson and Bo Derek in supporting roles.

This is what movies are all about !!!

[tom-koppen · 10/10 · 8 May 2011]

Noticing the low score for this movies here on IMDb, I couldn't resist writing this.

I've read all kinds of comments, most disturbing the criticism on the performance of Richard Harris. His acting considering the theme of the movie was absolutely great. I guess the image of an old washed up fisherman doesn't look to good to most people. He was great and believable. Some say it's cheap exploitation of a wild animal, though I've never seen a movie giving an animal this much soul and heart. I suppose they were confused with Jaws, which in comparison to this is a mindless monstermovie about a big fish with big teeth.

For me this film is an emotional trip to the inevitable, guided by some beautiful cinematography and brilliant soundtrack by Ennio Morricone.

A fantasy cult classic.

Greatest movie of all time

[DroogAlexK · 10/10 · 7 August 2003]

Orca is the greatest movie of all time. I'm sure most people say that their favorite movie is the greatest of all time, but they are all wrong.

Orca brings together some of the finest actors. Richard Harris, who unfortunately will be remembered for some trivial movie about a boy wizard and a throwaway musical about King Arthur, does his finest work in Orca. His portrayal of Captain Nolan, an emotionally torn fisherman coming to terms with the fact the marine animals have feelings, deserved the Oscar. Did he win? No, that is not a strike against this fine film. Charlotte Rampling brings texture to the marine biologist in love with a whale baby killer. The romance between the two is subtle. While most modern Hollywood movies would just throw in a gratuitous sex scene, Rampling accomplishes just as much with confused looks and having her shirt zipped down in one scene. Will Sampson, who is sadly better known for some movie about flying over a cuckoo's nest, also does a fantastic job of playing the Native American guy who says cryptic things and has ice fall on him. Robert Carradine, famous for Revenge of the Nerds, shows great range in not being around much and then being eaten by the whale. Bo Derek never equaled her success in this film elsewhere. I really believed her leg was bit off. She sold me.

The effects were great for the time. Many forget what special effects were like in those days, myself included because I was not born yet, but the point remains. The strange fisheye lens used to represent the whales point of view was genius. And I challenge everyone to find a more realistic looking whale fetus in a movie. You can't, you just can't. The dramatic fight between Captain Nolan and the whale could have easily become silly, but it doesn't. The Arctic Circle is accurately represented as a cold place with many iceberg, some of which whales can thwack themselves upon catapulting middle-aged Irishmen forty feet in the air. Keep in mind, also, this was done without the use of computer graphics. Steven Spielberg did not even put the shark in Jaws until over halfway through the film. Why? To hide a machine so fake that I can only assume one of his children made it at camp. The mechanical killer whale in Orca is almost indistinguishable from the stock footage of killer whales continually played throughout the movie.

In 1977, how many directors were brave enough to shoot a killer whale jumping from one side of the boat, eating actor Robert Carradine, and landing on the other side? Just one, Michael Anderson. His bold choices along with screenwriters Luciano Vincenzoni and Sergio Donati (who both show an above average command of the English languages for native-born Italian speakers) make the film a statement not only about whale hunting and whale forgiveness seeking, but also about humanity. Charlotte Rampling's appeal to Nolan not to go fight the whale just because the whale wants revenge is not just about social protocols of how to make it up to the father of a whale baby you accidentally killed, but also an argument against the death penalty. Will Sampson's pointless death is an indictment of the senseless slaughter of tens of millions of Native Americans. When the whale knocks down Captain Nolan's house without any explanation of this whale became such a genius that he can not only knows to knock down structural supports but also can look up addresses in the phone book, it directly shows how our incursion into the world of nature is two-fold. Robert Carradine's tragic death in the film is social commentary on the probability of being eaten if you stand around on a boat being followed by a crazed killer whale. And probably also something about Vietnam, I assume.

And while most in Hollywood choose not to admit it, many have ripped off Orca. The dead baby scene in Trainspotting is suspiciously reminiscent of the dead whale fetus scene in Orca. The creepy quasi-romance between an intelligent female and a somewhat crazy violent child murderer is directly stolen by George Lucas for Star Wars: Episode II. The use of icebergs is blatantly co-opted by Titanic, and I have never heard James Cameron so much as thank Michael Anderson. And don't even get me started on Free Willy. Orca is a complicated story. If you only enjoy movies with obvious heroes and villains, this is not for you. The characters are conflicted. Very conflicted. Take for instance how the killer whale jumps for joy after biting off Bo Derek's leg. The whale shows both glee in his jumps, but also the pain of having lost his family and never being able to bring them back no matter how hard he fights those who took them from him. Like Batman. You see, the only thing black and white in this movie is the killer whale itself. While Orca does not now get the respect it deserves, in time people will realize its genius. Just as people did not understand gravity or continental drift, in time they will come to recognize Orca as the greatest cinematic achievement of all time.