The documentary, The Cove, follows the efforts of Ric O’Berry, the renowned dolphin trainer from the TV show Flipper, as he and his team work to uncover the atrocities against dolphins taking place in Taiji, Japan. The documentary by Louis Psihoyos seeks to present the horrors of the Dolphin industry and the impact it is having on these creatures and on society. The Cove uncovers the mass capture, slaughter, and mistreatment of dolphins in a secret cove in the small fishing town of Taiji. The fishermen use completely inhumane methods to corral the wild dolphins and forcibly remove them from the ocean for use in live exhibits and attractions around the world. The dolphins which cannot be sold or are still babies are then forced into a shallow cove where they are speared, leaving them to bleed out and left for dead. Some of these slaughtered dolphins are then sold to the masses, labeled as various other expensive fish meat, in spite of the lethal levels mercury dolphin meat contains.
The documentary uses raw footage to demonstrate the extent to which this is happening and the lengths that the Japanese are going to in order to perpetuate and protect this “industry” and “culture”. This method is extremely powerful as it juxtaposes the passion of those trying to save the dolphins and their solid facts against those killing them with the sheer ignorance and corruption of these individuals who support this mass slaughter. The film relies heavily on emotional appeal and very thoroughly shocks the audience into caring and taking a stand against these atrocities. The filming was skilled and the editing was exceptional, furthering the legitimacy of their actions, some of which were technically illegal in Taiji, as well as the legitimacy of their cause. The documentary served as a great motivator and consciousness raising medium that leaves the audience enraged and wanting to help stop this.
I personally was deeply impacted by the film as I had no idea of the types of horrors taking place to obtain dolphins. I recently was in Mexico and in my travels, every single resort that we passed advertised a “swim with dolphins” exhibit on their grounds. The resort I stayed at even had one; the dolphins were given a shallow pool barely big enough to swim in. I was appalled and refused to let my family members contribute to the mistreatment and the demand for dolphins by partaking in the exhibit. While this small action may not have much of an impact in the grand scheme of things, it is the result of seeing this film and is my personal act of solidarity with those fighting this problem on a grand scale.
Overall, this film was extraordinarily effective using media to raise awareness of an issue of animal rights and sustainability that most people don’t even think about otherwise. It leaves a lasting impression and urges the audience to seek out ways to help.
Amanda Rose Kriss 