Movie-The Cove

The Cove was nominated for Best Documentary film, and won that Oscar.

The Cove (2009) is one of the reasons I love documentaries, you learn about things, important things, that you just never knew about before. And in this case, what I learned was so troubling, so sickening, that I don't think I can go back to certain behaviors.

The Cove is about a Japanese town of Taijii, that just loves its dolphins. As you drive through Taijii, there are cute dolphin symbols everywhere...they make the dolphin the town icon. But Taijii is not a town bent on preserving dolphins or studying their behavior, or letting people see them in their natural environment.

No Taijii captures dolphins for use in entertainment. And when you see how they capture these very smart animals it will break your heart. Taijii does this all in the open, attracting tourists to see the roundup. But Taijii does not stop there. Because only a certain number of dolphins are to be taken for that industry. The rest of the animals are rounded up and brought around the corner, to an area not open to any sightseers, or anyone else.

This is the cove, the cove of death. As hundreds of dolphins are brutally murdered, in panic they try to flee, but are so confused by the slaughter around them. The sea water in the cove becomes bright red with the blood of these beautiful, smart, magnificent creatures. But the are stabbed again and again to bring them to death, they scream as they are in so much pain...

Taijii protects these secrets of their industry. With brute force they protect it, using death treats and physical intimidation to stave off any interlopers. The Cove is also about the team that broke these secrets, that created this film. It is about these few people who used spy tactics to find out what takes place in the cove, and show us the brutality of it.

The film also explores the push from the dolphin meat industry to make its product acceptable to the masses...never mind that
dolphin meat contains huge levels of poisons gathered from the species being at the top of the food chain in increasingly poisoned oceans. The levels of mercury alone are alarming and dangerous yet the industry tried to get the meat into school children lunches.

SeaWorld has claimed that what is said in the film, that they buy animals from Taijii, is not true. But I know that I can't go there anymore, not after seeing this movie. I am not advocating anyone else take this course of action, but it is something I can't return to.

The Cove is searing, and you will remember it. It is sad and heart-breaking. And it is a magnificent piece of documentary film.