Austin Abrams is swallowed alive by a giant sperm whale in "Whalefall," the survival thriller opening in U.S. theaters Friday, Oct. 16. The film is rated PG-13 for peril, violent content, bloody images, some strong language and thematic content, and runs 1 hour and 46 minutes.
Abrams plays Jay Gardiner, a young man who dives off California's central coast to search for his late father's remains. Instead, he is swallowed by an 80-foot, 60-ton sperm whale and has only one hour to escape before his oxygen runs out. Trapped inside, Jay realizes that the lessons his father taught him may be the key to his escape.
Josh Brolin plays the father. The cast also includes Elisabeth Shue, John Ortiz, Jane Levy and Emily Rudd.
Brian Duffield, who made "No One Will Save You," directs from a script he co-wrote with Daniel Kraus, author of the 2023 novel the film is based on.
Early reviews are mixed. Some critics praise Abrams and Brolin and the film's tension, while others say the premise tips into over-the-top territory.
"Whalefall" is a modern story, not a Bible adaptation, but its themes of grief, a father's legacy and finding hope in the darkest place ask a question many believers know well: where do we turn when we feel trapped?
