‘In The Heart of the Sea’ Trailer: The Thor and the Whale

There is only one person in Hollywood fit to play a ruggedly handsome ship captain who is forced to fight for his life when an inexplicably angry whale decides to make his life a living hell—and that person is Chris Hemsworth. Pretty (but not too pretty), tough (but no too threatening), and recognizable (without being too expensive), his casting makes ‘In the Heart of the Sea’ all the more interesting, because it’s hard to imagine very many other actors not looking totally ridiculous in new trailer. He really is a 19th century ship’s captain for the 21st century.

‘In the Heart of the Sea’ reunites Hemsworth with director Ron Howard, which is a good omen. Howard is a solid filmmaker, but the last time he teamed up with Hemsworth they made ‘Rush,’ one the absolute best films in both men’s filmographies. But can their Formula One Racing magic translate to an ocean-bound tale of survival and whale evasion? Let’s hope so.

Admittedly, there’s some silly stuff in this trailer. Although supposedly based on a true story (with the screenplay inspired by the book of the same name), this movie looks genuinely ridiculous. The whale hunting Hemsworth and his crew looks more like a monster from a ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ movie than an actual whale ... which is probably the point. In fact, this entire movie looks like a the midway point between the last Captain Jack Sparrow adventure and Peter Weir’s ‘Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.’ The early 2015 release date is another clue about what they’re going for here. This is not a serious movie. This is pulp. Hopefully, it will be good pulp.

Hemsworth is backed by a murder’s row of talented actors, including Cillian Murphy, Tom Holland, Ben Whishaw, and Brendan Gleeson. If nothing else, it should be a well-acted adventure. Here’s the official synopsis:

In the winter of 1820, the New England whaling ship Essex was assaulted by something no one could believe: a whale of mammoth size and will, and an almost human sense of vengeance. The real-life maritime disaster would inspire Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick. But that told only half the story. ‘In the Heart of the Sea’ reveals the encounter’s harrowing aftermath, as the ship’s surviving crew is pushed to their limits and forced to do the unthinkable to stay alive. Braving storms, starvation, panic and despair, the men will call into question their deepest beliefs, from the value of their lives to the morality of their trade, as their captain searches for direction on the open sea and his first mate still seeks to bring the great whale down.

‘In the Heart of the Sea’ is set to open on March 13, 2015.